Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate differences of structural parameters in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG), high myopia (M) and both diseases (OAG-M) concurrently.
Methods :
30 patients (22 women, 8 men) were included in the prospective pilot study: 10 patients with OAG (age in years) 54.2 (3.11), 10 patients with OAG-M (51.8 (8.0)) and 10 patients with M (48.2 (5.12)). The study groups did not vary significantly in age (p=0.07) or gender (p=0.84). Study eyes were chosen randomly. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, macular ganglion cell complex (GCC), macular and peripapillary vessel density (VD%) were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) (swept source, TOPCON DRI Triton). Peripapillary VD was evaluated using ImageJ software (National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland). Kruskal-Wallis test was used to determine the differences in median values between groups with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results :
The mean spherical equivalent (SE) in OAG was 0.62D (SD 0.53), M -7.2D (1.0), OAG-M -7.75D (3.07). The mean RNFL thickness was 91.7 (17) μm in OAG; 95.1 (6.6) μm in M and 82.7 (17.8) μm in OAG-M groups (p>0.05). The RNFL thickness was significantly different between groups in the temporal quadrant (p=0.023) with the lowest value found in the OAG group. OAG-M patients had significantly lower GCC thickness 87.6 (10.8) μm, compared to OAG 95.4 (11.34) μm and M 103.1 (3.1) μm patients (p=0.01). Significant positive correlations were found between mean RNFL thickness and mean peripapillary VD of the optic nerve head (ONH) (r=0.532, p=0.004). Higher myopia correlated with decreased RNFL thickness (r=-0.571, p=0.001). Lower macular GCC thickness positively correlated with thinner optic nerve head (OND) RNFL (r=0.75, p<0.001).
Conclusions :
Peripapillary RNFL and macular GCC thickness were lowest in patients with concurrent OAG and high myopia. Additionally, higher myopia alone was related to a lower RNFL thickness. Specifically designed longitudinal studies are needed to better define and differentiate changes of structural parameters that occur in glaucomatous and myopic disease.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.