J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2022 Dec;63(12):973-983. 10.3341/jkos.2022.63.12.973.

Haller Layer Thickness after Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection in Diabetic Macular Edema: 1 Month Change

• Sung SM
• Lee KW
• Kang HG

• KMID: 2536852
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2022.63.12.973

Abstract

Purpose
To analyze the changes in subfoveal Haller layer thickness (SFHT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and central macular thickness (CMT) after intravitreal aflibercept injection.
Methods
This was a retrospective analysis of 36 diabetic macular edema patients who underwent intravitreal aflibercept injection between December 2016 and June 2021. The SFHT, SFCT, and CMT before and 1 month after the injection were compared using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
Results
Mean baseline SFHT, SFCT, and CMT were 214.28 ± 80.00 μm, 307.89 ± 96.30 μm, and 525.64 ± 133.24 μm, which were reduced 1 month after the injection to 199.56 ± 75.76 μm, 290.36 ± 94.63 μm, and 409.72 ± 98.45 μm, respectively (p = 0.001, < 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively). There was a significant correlation between baseline SFHT and 1-month post-injection best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), while thicker subfoveal Haller layers before the injection were associated with better BCVA after the injection (ρ = −0.342; p = 0.041).
Conclusions
In diabetic macular edema patients, SFHT, SFCT, and CMT decreased significantly over 1 month after the first intravitreal aflibercept injection. Greater SFHT before the injection was a good short-term predictor of BCVA after injection.

Keyword

Aflibercept; Central macular thickness; Choroidal thickness; Diabetic macular edema; Haller layer thickness