The effects of retinal ischemia on retinal nerve fiber layers of patients with retinal vein occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the effects of retinal ischemia on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the associated visual dysfunctions.


METHODS
52 subjects with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) were studied both in RVO eyes and in the contra-lateral eyes via red-free light fundus photography. The semi-quantitative analysis of RNFL defects was done, and the severity of RNFL defects of the ischemic and the non-ischemic groups were compared.


RESULTS
The RNFL defects occurred in 75.5% of the total 53 eyes with RVO. The incidences of RNFL defects were significantly higher in eyes with cotton-wool spots and capillary non-perfusion than in other RVO eyes and controls. The RNFL defects were significantly severer in ischemic eyes than in non-ischemic ones.


CONCLUSIONS
Retinal ischemia can result in RNFL defects, and the severity of RNFL defects was closely related to that of ischemia.
Lu
H
H
Department of Ophthalmologu, 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100083, China.
Zang
Q
Q
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000473:pathology*