title: Utility of retinal thickness analyzer in early diagnosis of glaucomatous damage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The utility of retinal thickness analysis (RTA) in the primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) early diagnosis and in the follow-up was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The nerve fibre layer thickness was analysed with the RTA by repeated examinations in POAG, ocular hypertension (OH) and healthy subjects (H).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the POAG group, a statistically significant reduction of mean retinal thickness (MRT) compared to the H group was evidenced both in the total area examined and in each of the four quadrants. The visual field evaluation classified the POAG group's visual fields in stage 1 and the OH group's visual fields in stage 0.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RTA reveals a variation of mean retinal thickness, even before a functional and/or morphological optic nerve alteration appears. RTA is a complementary tool with the exams usually applied in the diagnosis of glaucoma, even though the information obtained is not specific for glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arrico
authors.affiliation: Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy marcella.nebbioso@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nebbioso
authors.affiliation: Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Komaiha
authors.affiliation: Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Romualdo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malagola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy
keywords: Fiber layer thickness; ocular hypertension; open-angle glaucoma; retinal thickness analyzer; visual field