DIAGNOSTIC ROLE OF CHOROIDAL THICKNESS IN AUTOIMMUNE OPHTHALMOPATHY ACCORDING TO MACULA OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY DATA

Background. In autoimmune ophthalmopathy (AIO), the choroid is involved in the pathological process, which can lead to changes in its thickness, disruption of blood supply and subsequent deterioration of visual function. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows for non-invasive assessment of the choroid and quantitative assessment of the choroidal thickness. Objective. To assess choroidal thickness in patients with autoimmune ophthalmopathy using macula OCT and to determine its diagnostic value as a possible marker of inflammatory activity. Material and methods. The study included patients with confirmed AIO and controls. Choroidal thickness was measured in the subfoveal and parafoveal segments using OCT. Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate intergroup differences and assess the diagnostic performance of the method. Results. Patients with AIO showed a statistically significant increase in choroidal thickness in all studied areas compared to the control group. The measurements demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity, which confirms the diagnostic value of this parameter. Conclusions. Macula OCT provides standardized and quantitative analysis of choroidal thickness, including subfoveal and parafoveal segments, which makes the method effective for dynamic monitoring of the choroidal state in patients with AIO. Choroidal thickness indices can be considered as potential markers of inflammatory activity.