title: Atypical retardation patterns in scanning laser polarimetry are associated with low peripapillary choroidal thickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) results can be affected by an atypical retardation pattern (ARP). One reason for an ARP is the birefringence of the sclera. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the peripapillary choroidal thickness (pChTh) on the occurrence of ARP.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred ten healthy subjects were investigated with SLP and spectral domain OCT. pChTh was measured in B-scan images at 768 positions using semiautomatic software. Values were averaged to 32 sectors and the total peripapillary mean. Subjects were divided into four groups according to the typical scan score (TSS) provided by the GDxVCC: group 1 TSS, 100; group 2 TSS, 90-99; group 3 TSS, 80-89; group 4 TSS, <80.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean pChTh (± SD) in 110 healthy subjects was 141 μm (±49 μm). There was a significant correlation between pChTh and TSS (r = 0.608; P < 0.001). In TSS groups 1 to 4, mean pChTh was 168 μm (±38 μm), 148 μm (± 48 μm), 119 μm (±35 μm), and 92 (±42 μm). Mean pChTh of TSS groups 3 and 4 was significantly lower than that of TSS group 1 (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low values of TSS resulting from the appearance of ARP in SLP are associated with low peripapillary choroidal thickness. Reduced choroidal thickness may result in an increased amount of confounding light getting to the SLP light detectors.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany. alf.tornow@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Ralf P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Tornow
authors.forename: Wolfgang A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Schrems
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bendschneider
authors.forename: Folkert K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Christian Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Mardin
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lämmer
mesh_terms: D001718:Birefringence; D016570:Bruch Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D002829:Choroid / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000502:physiology*; D057109:Scanning Laser Polarimetry; D012590:Sclera; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields