title: Scanning laser polarimetry and spectral domain optical coherence tomography for the detection of retinal changes in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Whether retinal degeneration is part of the degenerative processes in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is still unclear. This cross-sectional study was undertaken to compare the retinal morphology of patients with PD and healthy controls using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and scanning laser polarimetry (SLP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Both eyes of patients with PD (n = 108) and healthy controls (n = 165) were examined using SD-OCT and SLP on the same day. Data on the thickness of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) of all quadrants and the macular area were acquired by OCT (Cirrus, Zeiss). The SLP device (Glaucoma diagnostics (GDx), Zeiss) measured the RNFL and calculated the nerve fibre index (NFI). All patients and probands were checked for concomitant ocular disorders by an ophthalmologist. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), objective refraction and the anterior and posterior segment were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with PD showed a reduced macular volume and a reduced central subfield thickness in OCT examinations. The RNFL in the different quadrants did not differ significantly from that of controls. SLP data showed a reduced average RNFL thickness, a decreased thickness of the inferior quadrant and an increase of the NFI in patients with PD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PD may be associated with reduced thickness and volume of the macula and a reduced thickness of the RNFL in the inferior quadrant of the retina. Investigations using SD-OCT and SLP revealed distinct but significant differences between patients with PD and healthy controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Birthe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stemplewitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keserü
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bittersohl
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buhmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Skevas
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Gisbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassenstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D057109:Scanning Laser Polarimetry / Q000379:methods*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Parkinson's disease; RNFL thickness; SD-OCT; macular volume; scanning laser polarimetry