Long-term follow-up of retinal nerve fiber layer cleavages in glaucoma patients and suspects.
Hsia Yun, Su Chien-Chia, Wang Tsing-Hong, Yang Chung-May, Huang Jehn-Yu
AI Summary
Long-term study of retinal nerve fiber layer cleavages in glaucoma patients/suspects found no detectable structural or functional progression, suggesting they may not indicate worsening glaucoma.
Abstract
Purpose
To investigate the structural and functional characteristics and change of the retinal nerve fiber layer cleavages (RNFLCs) in glaucoma patients and suspects in long-term follow-up.
Methods
This is a retrospective longitudinal study. Within 43 eyes of 30 subjects, 62 RNFLC locations were detected on color fundus photography. Basic ophthalmic examinations, color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and visual field (VF) test were performed in 6-month intervals. Clinical characteristics and the structural and functional changes of the cleaved areas were analyzed.
Results
RNFLC and localized vitreoretinal traction occurred most commonly along the superotemporal retinal vessel arcade. Nine locations had corresponding defects on OCT deviation map, while 31 locations were associated with defects on OCT deviation map. Three locations had corresponding VF defects. More of the non-highly myopic eyes had lamellar hole than the highly myopes (p = 0.038). The RNFLC lesions in glaucomatous eyes were more frequently associated with OCT defects on deviation map (p = 0.021). There was no difference in the presence of lamellar hole or the number of RNFLCs between the glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous eyes. During a 66.8 ± 37.8-month follow-up, there was no structural or functional progression of the RNFLCs as determined by color fundus photography, VF test, and GPA of OCT interpreted by three ophthalmologists. There was no statistically significant change of RNFLC area (p = 0.268).
Conclusions
RNFLC did not show detectable functional or structural change in early glaucoma patients and suspects after long-term follow-up.
MeSH Terms
Shields Classification
Key Concepts6
Retinal nerve fiber layer cleavages (RNFLCs) in glaucoma patients and suspects did not show detectable functional or structural change after a 66.8 ± 37.8-month follow-up, as determined by color fundus photography, VF test, and GPA of OCT interpreted by three ophthalmologists.
RNFLCs and localized vitreoretinal traction occurred most commonly along the superotemporal retinal vessel arcade in glaucoma patients and suspects.
Nine RNFLC locations had corresponding defects on OCT deviation map, while 31 locations were associated with defects on OCT deviation map, and three locations had corresponding VF defects in glaucoma patients and suspects.
More of the non-highly myopic eyes had lamellar hole than the highly myopic eyes (p = 0.038) among glaucoma patients and suspects with RNFLCs.
RNFLC lesions in glaucomatous eyes were more frequently associated with OCT defects on deviation map (p = 0.021) compared to non-glaucomatous eyes.
There was no difference in the presence of lamellar hole or the number of RNFLCs between glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous eyes.
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