Age-dependent Deformation of the Optic Nerve Head and Peripapillary Retina by Horizontal Duction

Alan Le; Jessica Chen; Michael Lesgart; Bola A Gawargious; Soh Youn Suh; Joseph L Demer

doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2019.08.017

Age-dependent Deformation of the Optic Nerve Head and Peripapillary Retina by Horizontal Duction

Am J Ophthalmol. 2020 Jan:209:107-116. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2019.08.017. Epub 2019 Aug 29.

Authors

Alan Le¹, Jessica Chen², Michael Lesgart³, Bola A Gawargious⁴, Soh Youn Suh⁵, Joseph L Demer⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Bioengineering Interdepartmental Programs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
² Computational and Systems Biology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁴ Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁵ Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁶ Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Bioengineering Interdepartmental Programs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; David Geffen Medical School, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. Electronic address: jld@jsei.ucla.edu.

Abstract

Purpose: To study effects of age and horizontal duction on deformation of the optic nerve head (ONH) and peripapillary retina (PPR), as reflected by displacement of vascular landmarks, to explore the influence of adduction tethering.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Setting: University.

Study population: Single eyes of 20 healthy young adults (average age 23.9 ± 3.9 [SD] years) were compared to 20 older subjects (average age 61.4 ± 9.3 years). Observational Procedure: The disc and PPR were imaged by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy in central gaze and at 35 degrees abduction and adduction.

Main outcome measure: Deformations of the disc and adjacent PPR were measured by comparing positions of epipapillary and epiretinal blood vessels.

Results: Vessels within the ONH of younger subjects shifted temporally during adduction and nasally during abduction. Displacement of the nasal hemi-disc in adduction was greater at 38.5 ± 1.7 μm (standard error of mean) than the temporal half at 4.1 ± 2.1 μm (P < .001). PPR within 1 radius of the disc margin underwent 7.6 ± 1.6 μm average temporal displacement in adduction in young subjects. In abduction, the young temporal hemi-disc shifted 4.4 ± 0.6 μm nasally without significant displacement in the nasal half. Older subjects' ONH showed less temporal shift and less displacement in the PPR within 1 disc radius (P < .0001) in adduction; the nasal hemi-disc shifted 24.5 ± 1.3 μm compared with 4.4 ± 2.1 μm in the temporal half. There were no significant deformations of the disc during abduction by older subjects.

Conclusion: Large horizontal duction, particularly adduction, deforms the disc and peripapillary vasculature. This deformation, which is larger in younger than older subjects, may be due to optic nerve tethering in adduction.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aging / physiology*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nerve Fibers / pathology
Ocular Motility Disorders / diagnosis
Ocular Motility Disorders / physiopathology*
Ophthalmoscopy
Optic Disk / pathology*
Optic Nerve Diseases / diagnosis
Optic Nerve Diseases / physiopathology*
Retina / pathology*
Retinal Diseases / diagnosis
Retinal Diseases / physiopathology*
Retinal Ganglion Cells / pathology
Tomography, Optical Coherence
Young Adult

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding