Retinal nerve fiber loss pattern in high-tension glaucoma by optical coherence tomography.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the pattern of retinal nerve fiber layer thinning in high-tension primary chronic open-angle glaucoma (HT-PCOAG) using optical coherence tomography.


METHODS
Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was assessed with optical coherence tomography in 68 healthy controls and 68 age- and refractive error-matched patients with HT-PCOAG were recruited. Patients were divided into 3 subgroups according to their visual field mean deviation: early (> -3 dB), moderate (-3 to -7 dB), and moderately advanced (-7 to -15 dB).


RESULTS
Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness values in inferotemporal and superotemporal regions were significantly lower in all groups of glaucomatous eyes than in healthy eyes (P<0.001). Inferotemporal thickness values were significantly lower than the superotemporal thickness values (P<0.001) in the early glaucomatous stage, but not significantly so in moderate and moderately advanced stages.


CONCLUSIONS
Besides a diffuse retinal nerve fiber layer defect, a localized defect may present in the inferotemporal region in early-stage HT-PCOAG. These results also suggest that optical coherence tomography shows promise in providing quantitative data about the location and extent of retinal nerve fiber layer injury in glaucoma, and the findings are consistent with previous knowledge.
Mok
Kwok Hei
KH
Mr. & Mrs. Tung Kay Fung Ophthalmic Laser Center, 6/F Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, 40 Stubbs Road, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. akhmok@hkah.org.hk
Lee
Vincent Wing-Hong
VW
So
Kwok Fai
KF
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D014054:Tomography