Correlation between Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Visual Field in Normal Tension Glaucoma Patients.

Woo, Sung Wook; Choi, Hyuck Won; Kim, Jae Suk; Lee, Joo Hwa

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2006;47(10):1613-1622.
Published online October 31, 2006.

Correlation between Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Visual Field in Normal Tension Glaucoma Patients.

Sung Wook Woo, Hyuck Won Choi, Jae Suk Kim, Joo Hwa Lee

Department of Ophthalmology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. joohlee@sanggyepaik.ac.kr

정상안압녹내장 환자의 망막신경섬유층 두께와 시야와의 상관관계

우성욱,최혁원,김재석,이주화

Department of Ophthalmology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence: Sung Wook Woo, M.D.

Abstract

PURPOSE
To determine the correlation between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and visual field defect for early detection of normal tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: Sixty eyes newly diagnosed with NTG and 50 normal eyes were analyzed by optical coherence tomography and a short wave length automated perimetry test. The relationship between RNFL, divided into 12 areas, and visual field, divided into 21 areas, were analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty eyes that revealed visual field defect by SWAP showed thinning of the RNFL. OCT sectors 6-o'clock, 7-o'clock, and 8-o'clock (inferior and inferotemporal) and SWAP visual field zones 13, 14, 15 and 16 (superior paracentral, arcuate areas, and the nasal step) were the most frequently damaged. The strongest associations were between the inferior and inferior temporal RNFL sectors 6, 7, and 8-o'clock and the superior nasal/arcuate visual field zones 13, 14, and 15 (R2 range=15.9-34.6%, all p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A combination of these two methods may be helpful for the early detection of NTG.

Key Words: Normal tension glaucoma;Optical coherence tomography;Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness;Short wavelength automated perimetry;Visual field defect