title: Imaging of the optic disk in caring for patients with glaucoma: ophthalmoscopy and photography remain the gold standard.
abstract: Optic disk imaging is integral to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with glaucoma. We discuss the various forms of imaging the optic nerve, including ophthalmoscopy, photography, and newer imaging modalities, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (HRT), and scanning laser polarimetry (GDx), specifically highlighting their benefits and disadvantages. We argue that ophthalmoscopy and photography remain the gold standard of imaging due to portability, ease of interpretation, and the presence of a large database of images for comparison.
authors.affiliation: Wills Eye Hospital, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: gspaeth@willseye.org.
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Spaeth
authors.affiliation: Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Swathi C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010781:Photography / Q000592:standards*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology; D057109:Scanning Laser Polarimetry; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
keywords: GDx; HRT; OCT; disk photography; optic disk; optic disk imaging