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. 2009 Jul;16(3):141-5.
doi: 10.4103/0974-9233.56228.

Detection of early glaucomatous damage in pseudo exfoliation syndrome by assessment of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness

Maha M Mohamed  1
Affiliations

Detection of early glaucomatous damage in pseudo exfoliation syndrome by assessment of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness

Maha M Mohamed. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2009 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: To detect early glaucomatous changes in pseudo exfoliative patients with normal intraocular pressure (IOP), visual field and optic nerve head appearance; by measuring retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Design: A prospective observational case-control study.

Participants: Twenty non-glaucomatous (normal IOP, fundus and visual field) pseudo exfoliative patients and 20 age matched healthy control subjects.

Materials and methods: The RNFL thickness (global and four quadrants) was assessed using combined imaging system OTI (OCT/SLO) and compared with age matched normal control subjects.

Results: The RNFL in patients with pseudo exfoliation syndrome (PXS) was significantly thinner in all quadrants except the nasal quadrant compared to the control group (p less than 0.05).

Conclusion: Measurement of RNFL thickness by OCT is useful in detecting early RNFL damage which in turn provides clinically relevant information in detecting early glaucomatous changes in pseudo exfoliative patients.

Keywords: Glaucoma; Optical Coherence Tomography; Pseudo Exfoliation Syndrome; Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
OCT scans around optic nerve head with analysis of the RNFL thickness in a pseudo exfoliative eye showing diminished thickness in all quadrants except nasal quadrant
Figure 2
Figure 2
OCT scans around optic nerve head in a normal eye with double peak curve of RNFL thickness
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison between RNFL thickness in all quadrants in both groups
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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