Vertical Position of the Central Retinal Vessel in the Optic Disc and Its Association With the Site of Visual Field Defects in Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the vertical position of the central retinal vessel (CRV) within the optic nerve head (ONH) and the site of visual field defects (VFDs) in glaucoma.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The vertical position of the CRV was identified in 134 glaucoma eyes and 61 normal eyes at the point at which CRV exited the lamina cribrosa (LC) onto the ONH surface, by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (exit position). The position was also identified at the entry point into the LC from the retrolaminar ONH region (entry position), which was little influenced by glaucomatous LC deformation, therefore close to the original position before the glaucoma development. Positions were compared among glaucoma eyes with different sites of VFDs, and between glaucoma and normal eyes.

RESULTS

In glaucoma eyes, the entry position of the CRV was in the superior ONH region in 63.0% of eyes with superior VFDs and in the inferior ONH region in 97.8% of eyes with inferior VFDs (P < .0001). The exit position exhibited a similar percentage. The vertical CRV positions were not significantly different between glaucoma and normal eyes, both at the entry and exit positions.

CONCLUSIONS

Eyes with CRVs in the superior ONH region were significantly more likely to form VFDs in the superior hemifields and vice versa. The vertical position of the CRV was little altered by the development of glaucoma. The original position of the CRV before the development of glaucoma may influence regional susceptibility to glaucomatous stress and may be useful in predicting initial sites of VFDs.