Optic nerve head change in non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and its influence on visual outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate changes in cup/disc (C/D) diameter ratios and parapapillary atrophy in patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION), using morphometric methods.


METHODS
The clinical non-interventional study included 157 patients with unilateral or bilateral NA-AION. Optic disc photographs taken from both eyes at the end of follow-up were morphometrically examined.


RESULTS
Follow-up was 86.3±70.3 months. Horizontal and vertical disc diameters (P = 0.30;P = 0.61, respectively), horizontal and vertical C/D ratios (P = 0.47;P = 0.19,resp.), and size of alpha zone and beta zone of parapapillary atrophy (P = 0.27;P = 0.32,resp.) did not differ significantly between affected eyes and contralateral normal eyes in patients with unilateral NA-AION. Similarly, horizontal and vertical disc diameters, horizontal and vertical C/D ratios, and size of alpha zone and beta zone did not vary significantly (all P>0.05) between the unaffected eyes of patients with unilateral NA-AION and the eyes of patients with bilateral NA-AION. Optic disc diameters, C/D ratios, size of alpha zone or beta zone of parapapillary atrophy were not significantly associated with final visual outcome in the eyes affected with NA-AION (all P>0.20) nor with the difference in final visual acuity between affected eyes and unaffected eyes in patients with unilateral NA-AION (all P>0.25).


CONCLUSIONS
NA-AION did not affect C/D ratios nor alpha zone and beta zone of parapapillary atrophy. Optic disc size was not related to the final visual acuity outcome in NA-AION.
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Jost.Jonas@augen.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
Jost B
JB
Jonas
Sohan Singh
SS
Hayreh
Yong
Y
Tao
Konstantinos I
KI
Papastathopoulos
Florian
F
Rensch
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*