[Morphological changes in retina and optic nerve head in patients with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy].

OBJECTIVE

To study morphological changes of the macula and the peripapillary nerve fiber layer in patients with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A total of 21 patients (40 eyes) with LHON and 17 healthy volunteers (33 eyes) of the control group were assessed. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) on RTVue-100 for retina and optic nerve head assessment was performed in all cases.

RESULTS

Thinning of the inner retinal layers in nasal and inferior parafoveal sectors takes place in the early acute period of the disease and then spreads to the rest of the macular area. The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in the early acute period is of more thickness in temporal, inferior, and superior sectors in comparison to controls, but later gradually becomes thinner, especially in the temporal sector. In the late period significant peripapillary RNFL thinning is present in all sectors.

CONCLUSION

OCT reveals certain structural changes in the macular area and the peripapillary RNFL that are characteristic of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and together with clinical presentation can substantiate the diagnosis.