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Abstract #6343 Published in IGR 3-2
Nerve fiber layer assessment with scanning laser polarimetry in glaucoma patients and glaucoma suspects
Oezdek SC; Oenol M; Hasanreisoglu BEuropean Journal of Ophthalmology 2001; 11: 139-144
PURPOSE: To investigate whether scanning laser polarimeter can differentiate glaucoma and suspected glaucoma patients from normals. METHODS: Polarimetric measurements were obtained using the nerve fiber analyzer (NFA)-I from 80 eyes of patients with glaucoma with mostly moderate glaucomatous optic nerve damage (37 eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma, 21 with normal-tension glaucoma, 17 with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma, three with angle-closure glaucoma, and two with juvenile glaucoma), 53 eyes of patients suspected of glaucoma based on disc appearance, and from age-matched healthy volunteers as control groups. Ratios (superior/nasal, inferior/nasal, superior/inferior) were used for assessing nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness. Student's t test and linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Both the glaucoma patients and glaucoma suspects had significantly lower NFL ratios (mean S/N 2.34 ± 0.47, I/N 2.46 ± 0.52, S/I 0.94 ± 0.18) than the control groups (respectively, 2.88 ± 0.48, 2.88 ± 0.48, 1.00 ± 0.13) (p < 0.05). There was an ample overlap between the patient groups and the normals. The superior and inferior NFL ratios in glaucoma patients gradually decreased as the mean defect in visual field increased (linear regression analysis, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The NFL of glaucomatous eyes and eyes suspected of glaucoma based on disc appearance was significantly less thick than normals. NFA-I detects pathological abnormalities in some patients with glaucomatous optic nerve damage and normal visual fields as measured by conventional achromatic computerized perimetry. However, NFA-I is unable to distinguish these patients from normals, at least using these parameters, because of the considerable overlap.
Dr S.C. Oezdek, Osmanli cad. 24/2, 06450 Balgat, Ankara, Turkey. ozdek@turnet.net.tr
Classification:
2.13 Retina and retinal nerve fibre layer (Part of: 2 Anatomical structures in glaucoma)
6.9.1 Laser scanning (Part of: 6 Clinical examination methods > 6.9 Computerized image analysis)
