title: Pattern of retinal nerve fiber layer damage in Korean eyes with normal-tension glaucoma and hemifield visual field defect.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate quantitatively the pattern of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) damage in eyes with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) with hemifield dominant visual field defects using scanning laser polarimetry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively, 40 consecutive eyes from 40 patients with NTG and hemifield defect based on the findings of examination using the Humphrey Field Analyzer underwent RNFL thickness measurements. Twenty normal eyes from 20 subjects matched in age and refractive error formed a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Symmetry, calculated as the ratio of superior to inferior RNFL thickness, showed no statistically significant difference between the study group and the control group ( P=0.50). Overall, 27.5% (11/40 eyes) showed an "abnormal" symmetry index that indicated focal RNFL change. The affected ratio, calculated as the ratio of RNFL thickness in the quadrant corresponding to the hemifield of visual field defect to that of the temporal quadrant was significantly lower in the study group than in the control group ( P<0.0001). A similar finding was noted for the unaffected ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite strict selection of the eyes with visual field defect confined to one hemifield, a mixture of both focal and diffuse RNFL damage was noted, with a common occurrence of symmetrical RNFL thinning in both upper and lower quadrants based on scanning laser polarimetry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnapdong, Songpa-gu, 138-736 Seoul, Korea. mskook@www.amc.seoul.kr
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kook
authors.forename: Sang-Un
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung-Rim
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Hungwon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tchah
authors.forename: Soon-Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung-Rhee
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Weechang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006423:Hemianopsia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields