Pilot Study of Lamina Cribrosa Intensity Measurements in Glaucoma Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To compare the lamina cribrosa (LC) intensity in glaucoma-suspect eyes and eyes with mild to moderate glaucoma using swept-source optical coherence tomography.

METHODS

Optic disc volume scans were collected using swept-source optical coherence tomography in 19 clinically defined glaucoma-suspect eyes and 29 eyes with mild to moderate glaucoma. LC intensity was measured using Image J software, and the resultant values were normalized using the retinal pigment epithelium and vitreous signal.

RESULTS

Mean age was 53.7±18.5 years in the glaucoma-suspect eyes and 63.0±16.1 years in the eyes with mild to moderate glaucoma (P=0.161). Significant differences in LC intensity were observed between the 2 groups, with median LC intensity values of 0.96 and 0.86 units in the glaucoma-suspect and the mild to moderate glaucoma groups, respectively (P<0.001). A weak positive correlation was found between mean deviation and normalized LC intensity (r=0.344; P=0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Intensity measurement of the LC is a potential novel parameter which warrants further study in the setting of glaucoma.