title: Changes in retinal nerve fibre layer, optic nerve head morphology, and visual field after acute primary angle closure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine and correlate the long-term changes in retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness, optic nerve head (ONH) morphology, and visual fields after a single episode of acute primary angle closure (APAC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional comparative study of patients at National University Hospital (Singapore) from 2000 to 2006 after an episode of unilateral APAC. The peripapillary and macular RNFL were measured using Stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT) and ONH configuration was assessed using Heidelberg Retina Tomography (HRT)-III. Humphrey perimetry was also performed, and the presence of disc pallor was noted. APAC eyes were compared with fellow eyes as matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five patients were assessed at a median of 33 months (range, 11-85 months) after APAC. OCT showed that there was a reduction in the peripapillary and outer macular RNFL thickness in APAC eyes compared with controls. Humphrey perimetry revealed significantly reduced mean deviation (P=0.006) and increased pattern standard deviation (P=0.045) in APAC eyes compared with controls. HRT-III showed no difference in mean rim area, rim volume, or cup-disc ratio between APAC eyes and controls. Disc pallor was present in nine APAC eyes (36%) but was absent in fellow eyes (P=0.002), and was associated with peripapillary RNFL thinning, visual field loss, and an increased interval between the onset of symptoms and normalization of intraocular pressure (P=0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APAC results in peripapillary and outer macular RNFL loss, visual field defects, and optic disc pallor, even in cases in which the ONH configuration remains unchanged.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore.
authors: C C A
authors: CC
authors: Sng
authors: J S L
authors: JS
authors: See
authors: C S
authors: CS
authors: Ngo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Singh
authors: Y-H
authors: YH
authors: Chan
authors: M C
authors: MC
authors: Aquino
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Tan
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Shabana
authors: P T K
authors: PT
authors: Chew
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015812:Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*