Assessment of glaucoma with retinal nerve fiber layer optical density ratios from volumetric optical coherence tomography across various analytical radii.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the impact of glaucoma on the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) optical density ratio (ODR) by volumetric optical coherence tomography (OCT) under different analytical radii.

METHODS

Twenty-five eyes identified as healthy and 57 eyes with a glaucoma diagnosis (23 mild and 34 moderate-advanced cases) underwent volumetric OCT scans centered at the optic nerve head. Cross-sectional images were obtained through 5 distinct analytical circles with varying radii. The distribution of RNFL ODRs was analysis and compared between normal eyes and glaucomatous eyes.

RESULTS

RNFL ODRs displayed significant variation in relation to their location across all examined eyes and respected the ISTN rule (inferior > superior > nasal > temporal, all p < 0.05). The ODRs differed significantly between normal and glaucomatous groups (all p < 0.001), decreasing as glaucoma progresses, both on average and in each quadrant of all analytical circles (all p < 0.001). The RNFL ODRs correlated significantly with the MD (R2 ranging from 0.553 to 0.585, all p < 0.001), with the most pronounced difference noted in the inferior-temporal sector between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

RNFL ODRs by OCT imaging could serve as a valuable tool for detecting retinal nerve fiber defects in glaucomatous eyes.