Differences of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness between normal and glaucoma‐like optic disks (physiological cups) Matched by optic disk area

Abstract

We matched by disk area size 23 eyes of patients with glaucoma-like disks (physiological cups) with normal ocular pressures and no visual field loss with 23 eyes of normal subjects. Using stereophotogrammetry we found a significant decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in the eyes with glaucoma-like disks compared to the normal eyes (P = 0.0081), especially in the nasal quadrant (18.1%). A similar significant decrease was noted in the neuroretinal rim area and a significant increase in cup volume, area, depth and slope for the total disk and its quadrants. The use of computerized image analysis also showed a significant increase in pallor area for glaucoma-like disks compared to normal disks. Eyes with glaucoma-like disks or physiological cups showed evidence of an optic neuropathy and may be manifesting the same damage to the optic nerve occurring in high pressure open angle glaucoma.