SD-OCT imaging and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) assessment successfully detects pre-perimetric glaucomatous damage, according to a recent study in the journal Ophthalmology.

Dr Renato Lisboa et al., Hamilton Glaucoma Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Diego, California, USA, studied a cohort of 134 eyes of 88 glaucoma suspects on their optic disc appearance. There was also a control group consisting of 86 eyes of 46 patients without any evidence of progressive glaucomatous change. The main outcome measures included areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) and likelihood ratios (LRs).

All patients experienced RNFL imaging with Spectralis SD-OCT and topographic imaging with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph III CSLO within six months of one another. At the time of imaging all patients had normal visual fields and were identified on history of documented stereophotographic evidence of progressive glaucomatous change and optic nerve appearance before imaging.

The largest AUC obtained with SD-OCT was the temporal superior RNFL thickness followed by global RNFL thickness and temporal inferior RNFL thickness. The largest AUC obtained with the CSLO was rim area followed by rim volume and linear cup-to-disc ratio.

The temporal superior RNFL average thickness measured by SD-OCT was significantly better than CSLO-obtained rim area measurements. The SD-OCT was the most effective method for detecting preperimetric glaucomatous damage in a cohort of glaucoma suspects, compared to CSLO.

The abstract can be viewed here .