[Papillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurement using optical coherence tomography in children with ocular hypertension and juvenile glaucoma]

Abstract

Purpose: To compare retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurements taken with OCT in normal, ocular hypertensive, and glaucomatous eyes of children 4-18 years old.

Materials and methods: The study included 181 eyes: 106 normal, 37 with ocular hypertension, and 38 with juvenile glaucoma. Diagnostic groups were classified based on intraocular pressure, optic nerve head appearance, visual field examination, and central corneal thickness measurement. RNFL measurements were taken using the Zeiss Stratus OCT.

Results: The RNLF average thickness was 94.2 + or -13.2 microm in glaucomatous eyes, 105.4 + or - 6.8 microm in ocular hypertensive eyes, and 104.8 + or - 10.3 microm in normal eyes. RNFL average thickness, inferior thickness, and superior thickness showed statistically significant differences between normal and glaucomatous eyes (p<0.01) and between glaucomatous [corrected] and ocular hypertensive eyes (p<0.01). There was no difference found between normal and ocular hypertensive eye.

Conclusion: OCT has already shown its diagnostic efficiency in adult glaucoma. This study shows that OCT is useful in childhood glaucoma diagnosis, helping to differentiate between ocular hypertension and beginning juvenile glaucoma.