title: Morphometric Analysis of Peripapillary Thickness in Hypertensives and Normotensives using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypotension following antihypertensive treatment is associated with retinal nerve fibre loss. There are studies that have reported the changes in RNFL in hypertensives.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer (RNFL) thickness using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in hypertensive and normotensive individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2012 to September 2014 to compare the RNFL thickness using SD OCT in hypertensive {no other ocular or systemic co-morbidity, vision better or equal to 6/9 (n=30)} and normotensive (n=30) individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant RNFL loss was detected in hypertensives (98.31 ± 7.01) when compared to the normotensives (102.51 ± 8.72) p=0.001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant loss of RNFL in hypertensives point towards the altered autoregulation and warrants larger studies to assess the clinical relevance.
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College , Manipal, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Krishna Rao
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Addoor
authors.affiliation: Additional Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College , Manipal, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Sulatha V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Bhandary
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Ophthalmology, Srinivasa Medical College , Suratkal, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Lavanya G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Junior Resident, Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College , Manipal, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Smita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapoor
keywords: Hypertensive versus normotensives; Intra ocular pressure; OCT RNFL loss