From the past to the present, optical coherence tomography in glaucoma: a practical guide to a common disease

Abstract

Glaucoma comprises a group of disorders of the optic nerve that cause degenerative optic neuropathy, characterised by failure of neuroretinal rim tissue in the optic nerve head, retinal nerve fibre layer, and retinal ganglion cells. Glaucoma imposes a serious epidemiological threat, with an steady increase in the global number of cases. In the current ophthalmological practice, glaucoma is diagnosed via a series of examinations, including routine funduscopic examination, ocular tonometry, gonioscopy, measurement of the visual field, and assessment using the optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique. Nowadays, the OCT technique helps in systematising the diagnostic pathway and is a basic diagnostic tool for detection of early glaucomatous eye changes. It is also vital in assessing progression and monitoring treatment results of patients. The aim of this review was to present the OCT technique as a main tool in diagnosing and monitoring glaucoma.

Keywords: glaucoma; open-angle glaucoma; optic neuropathy; optical coherence tomography; retinal ganglion cells.

Figure 1.. Analysis of peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness; a) in a non-glaucomatous emmetropic eye; b) in a glaucomatous emmetropic eye; c) in a glaucomatous myopic eye.

The retinal nerve fiber layer is situated between the internal limiting membrane (red line) and the boundary separating the retinal nerve fiber layer from the ganglion cell layer (green line). Images: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Bialystok Clinical Hospital.