PURPOSE: To evaluate OCT vitreous signal intensity (OCT-VI) as a biomarker of vitreous haze (VH) in a longitudinal, prospective, and standardized manner in the First-Line Antimetabolites as Steroid-Sparing Treatment (FAST) Uveitis Trial.
DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a block-randomized, observer-masked, multicenter clinical trial.
SUBJECTS: Two hundred sixty-seven eyes from 147 patients with uveitis enrolled in the FAST Trial were evaluated in this analysis at baseline (BL), month 6 (M6), and month 12 (M12).
METHODS: For each patient, Heidelberg Spectralis OCT volume scans (Heidelberg Engineering) were imported into the Doheny Reading Center 3D-OCTOR software and underwent a semi-automated segmentation. For each OCT volume, 5 B-scans were used to calculate the OCT-VI as a ratio of the vitreous space to the entire image.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: OCT vitreous signal intensity at BL, M6, and M12 visits and the association with the National Eye Institute VH scale, anterior chamber (AC) cell grade, posterior synechiae (PS), lens status, visual acuity (VA), and central macular thickness (CMT).
RESULTS: At BL, the median relative vitreous intensity was 0.43 (interquartile range, [0.33-0.54]) and reduced to 0.39 (0.27-0.53) at M6 and 0.39 (0.26-0.54) at M12. A mixed-effects linear regression model showed that OCT-VI and VH clinical grades were statistically significantly correlated ( < 0.001) when controlled for age, sex, time points, and eye. A statistically significant decrease of OCT-VI was observed over time with treatment ( < 0.001). A 2-step grade decrease in VH was associated with a -0.07 (standard deviation 0.19) change in OCT-VI. A mixed-effects linear regression model demonstrated a statistically significant association between OCT-VI and VA (b = 0.170, = 0.020). A higher OCT-VI was associated with increasing grades of AC cell ( < 0.001) and presence of cataract ( < 0.001). There was no significant association ( > 0.05) of OCT-VI with PS or CMT.
CONCLUSIONS: In the FAST Uveitis Trial, OCT-VI was significantly correlated with the VH clinical grades and demonstrated significant longitudinal changes. OCT vitreous signal intensity may serve as a potential objective biomarker of VH.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
BT - Ophthalmology science C1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41853570 DA - 04/2026 DO - 10.1016/j.xops.2026.101106 IS - 4 J2 - Ophthalmol Sci LA - eng N2 -PURPOSE: To evaluate OCT vitreous signal intensity (OCT-VI) as a biomarker of vitreous haze (VH) in a longitudinal, prospective, and standardized manner in the First-Line Antimetabolites as Steroid-Sparing Treatment (FAST) Uveitis Trial.
DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a block-randomized, observer-masked, multicenter clinical trial.
SUBJECTS: Two hundred sixty-seven eyes from 147 patients with uveitis enrolled in the FAST Trial were evaluated in this analysis at baseline (BL), month 6 (M6), and month 12 (M12).
METHODS: For each patient, Heidelberg Spectralis OCT volume scans (Heidelberg Engineering) were imported into the Doheny Reading Center 3D-OCTOR software and underwent a semi-automated segmentation. For each OCT volume, 5 B-scans were used to calculate the OCT-VI as a ratio of the vitreous space to the entire image.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: OCT vitreous signal intensity at BL, M6, and M12 visits and the association with the National Eye Institute VH scale, anterior chamber (AC) cell grade, posterior synechiae (PS), lens status, visual acuity (VA), and central macular thickness (CMT).
RESULTS: At BL, the median relative vitreous intensity was 0.43 (interquartile range, [0.33-0.54]) and reduced to 0.39 (0.27-0.53) at M6 and 0.39 (0.26-0.54) at M12. A mixed-effects linear regression model showed that OCT-VI and VH clinical grades were statistically significantly correlated ( < 0.001) when controlled for age, sex, time points, and eye. A statistically significant decrease of OCT-VI was observed over time with treatment ( < 0.001). A 2-step grade decrease in VH was associated with a -0.07 (standard deviation 0.19) change in OCT-VI. A mixed-effects linear regression model demonstrated a statistically significant association between OCT-VI and VA (b = 0.170, = 0.020). A higher OCT-VI was associated with increasing grades of AC cell ( < 0.001) and presence of cataract ( < 0.001). There was no significant association ( > 0.05) of OCT-VI with PS or CMT.
CONCLUSIONS: In the FAST Uveitis Trial, OCT-VI was significantly correlated with the VH clinical grades and demonstrated significant longitudinal changes. OCT vitreous signal intensity may serve as a potential objective biomarker of VH.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
PY - 2026 EP - 101106 T2 - Ophthalmology science TI - OCT-Based Evaluation of Vitreous Haze in the First-Line Antimetabolites as Steroid-Sparing Treatment Uveitis Trial. VL - 6 SN - 2666-9145 ER -