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Clinical Trial
. 2012 Apr-Jun;19(2):204-10.
doi: 10.4103/0974-9233.95251.

Macular retinal and nerve fiber layer thickness in early glaucoma: clinical correlations

Vassiliki Arvanitaki  1 , Miltiadis K Tsilimbaris, Aristofanis Pallikaris, Ioanna Moschandreas, Evangelos Minos, Ioannis G Pallikaris, Efstathios T Detorakis
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Macular retinal and nerve fiber layer thickness in early glaucoma: clinical correlations

Vassiliki Arvanitaki et al. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2012 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Previous studies have evaluated macular retinal thickness (RT) and nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) changes in early glaucoma using elaborate optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning protocols.

Materials and methods: This study examines RT and RNFLT using standard scanning protocols in early glaucoma. In this prospective, nonrandomized case series, 95 eyes of 95 patients were evaluated, including 29 nonglaucomatous subjects (control group), 34 glaucoma suspects, and 32 early manifest glaucoma patients. RT and RNFLT were measured using scanning fast macular thickness map and Fast RNFLT (3.4) protocols on a 1.70 mm radius around the macular center (respectively) in all four quadrants. The fast RNFLT (3.4) protocol was transposed on the macula from the peri-papillary area. Data were statistically analyzed for differences between groups, and for correlations between parameters. P<0.5 was statistically significant.

Results: Both early manifest glaucoma patients and glaucoma suspects had significantly lower RT than controls in all quadrants. RNFLT differences in all quadrants were not statistically significant (P>0.05). RT was significantly inversely correlated with axial length in early manifest glaucoma patients and glaucoma suspects but not in controls.

Conclusions: The finding that RT was significantly lower in early manifest glaucoma patients and glaucoma suspects indicates that the transposition of the OCT fast RNFL thickness (3.4) protocol from the peri-papillary area to the peri-macular area can be used for early glaucoma diagnosis. Intraretinal changes in early glaucoma, likely precede nerve fiber changes.

Keywords: Early Glaucoma; Macula; Optical Coherence Tomography; Retinal Thickness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Fast macular thickness map protocol with six linear scans with a length of 6 mm spaced 30 with each other (a, b). Measurements of RT were taken on each axis 3.45 mm from the macular center along four quadrants (c, d)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fast retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (3.4) protocol focused on the macula, instead of the optic disk. Peri-papillary scanning was transposed on the peri-macular area (a) resulting in a peri-macular scanning (b) and measurement of the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness along four quadrants on radius of 3.4 mm around the macular center (c). A B-scan image of the same eye showing the area of the posterior pole and the optic nerve (*) is also presented (d)
Figure 3
Figure 3
A cross-sectional retinal map showing retinal thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and the distance from the macular center (1.70 mm) at which measurements were taken
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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