title: Fluorescein filling defects and quantitative morphologic analysis of the optic nerve head in glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate absolute filling defects of the optic nerve head in normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and to compare the filling defects with topographic analysis of the optic disc.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients with NTG, 25 patients with POAG, and 25 age-matched controls were included. Fluorescein angiograms were performed by means of a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. The extent of absolute filling defects of the optic nerve head was assessed using digital image analysis of early-phase angiograms. Topographic measurements of the optic disc were acquired using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Absolute filling defects were significantly larger (P =.001) and were seen more often (P<.001) in patients with NTG (n = 18) and POAG (n = 19) compared with controls (n = 3). Rim area (P =.006), rim volume (P =.007), cup-disc area ratio (P =.008), linear cup-disc ratio (P =.005), maximum cup depth (P =.002), cup shape measure (P =.03), and nerve fiber layer thickness (P =.008) and cross-sectional area (P =.006) were significantly different between patients with glaucoma and controls. Absolute filling defects were significantly correlated with cup area (r = 0.31; P =.007), rim area (r = -0.38; P<.001), rim volume (r = -0.35; P =.002), cup-disc area ratio (r = 0.49; P<.001), linear cup-disc ratio (r = 0.48; P<.001), cup shape measure (r = 0.27; P =.02), and nerve fiber layer thickness (r = -0.33; P =.004) and cross-sectional area (r = -0.30; P =.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fluorescein filling defects of the optic disc are present in NTG and POAG. The extent of these filling defects is correlated with the morphologic disc damage.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik des Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Germany. nplange@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: Niklas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Plange
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaup
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Remky
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arend
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007834:Lasers; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy / Q000379:methods; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D014794:Visual Fields