The Implication Of Optical Coherence Tomography To The Early Diagnosis Of Chronic Primary Angle-closure Glaucoma

ObjectiveTo explore the implication of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measured by optic coherence tomography (OCT) and to evaluate the significance of OCT in the diagnosis of CPACG.MethodsThe thickness of RNFL was quantified by OCT in 19 normal controls (28 eyes) and 30 patients with CPACG. CPACG cases were divided into early stage group,mild and late stage group.Thickness of the RNFL around the optic disk was determined with 3.4mm diameter circle OCT scans. The differences of RNFL thickness between normal controns and the early stage group was compared.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve area was calculated to discriminate normal eyes from early glaucomatous eyes.ResultsThe RNFL thickness of glaucoma was significantly thinner than that of normal control groups in RNFL thickness of average,temporal and 1-o'clock,7-o'clock,9-o' clock,10-o'clock,11-o'clock positions. The RNFL thickness of the glaucoma in all parameters was significantly thinner than that of the normal contral groups excluding the 3-o'clock area.Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness at the 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock of superiortemporal segment and temporal had the widest areas under the ROC curves in all parameters of early glaucomatous eyes(0.819,0.816,0.811).ConclusionsThe RNFL becomes thinner in early stage of glaucoma.Measuring the RNFL using OCT provides a new index for the diagnosis of glaucoma.