Quantification of optic nerve head topography in optic neuritis: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate optic nerve head topography in patients with optic neuritis compared to controls using the Heidelberg retina tomograph-II (HRT-II) and to determine if detected changes are related to visual function and electrophysiology.


METHODS
25 patients with a previous single episode of unilateral optic neuritis and 15 controls were studied with HRT-II, visual evoked potentials, and pattern electroretinogram. Patients also had testing of visual acuity, visual field, and colour vision.


RESULTS
In affected eyes compared to fellow eyes, there was reduction of both the mean retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness at the disc edge (p = 0.009) and the neuroretinal rim volume (p = 0.04). In affected eyes compared to control eyes, the three dimensional optic cup shape measure was increased (p = 0.01), indicative of an abnormal cup shape. There were no other significant differences in HRT-II measures. Within patient interocular difference correlation was used to investigate the functional relevance of these changes and demonstrated associations between RNFL thickness change and changes in visual acuity, visual field, and colour vision. Colour vision change was also associated with change in neuroretinal rim volume.


CONCLUSIONS
HRT detects functionally relevant changes in RNFL thickness and neuroretinal rim volume between eyes affected by optic neuritis and unaffected fellow eyes.
Trip
S A
SA
NMR Research Unit, Department of Neuroinflammation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK. a.trip@ion.ucl.ac.uk
Schlottmann
P G
PG
Jones
S J
SJ
Garway-Heath
D F
DF
Thompson
A J
AJ
Plant
G T
GT
Miller
D H
DH
D000328:Adult; D003118:Color Perception; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D004596:Electroretinography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014054:Tomography; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields