The association between photoreceptor layer thickness measured by optical coherence tomography and visual sensitivity in glaucomatous eyes

<div><p>Purpose</p><p>To assess the thickness of the photoreceptor layer in the macular region in glaucomatous eyes.</p><p>Method</p><p>Humphrey 10–2 visual field (VF) testing was carried out and mean threshold (mTH) was calculated in 118 eyes from 118 patients with open angle glaucoma. Macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements (RS 3000, Nidek Co.ltd., Aichi, Japan) were also carried out in all eyes. Thickness measurements were recorded in the outer segment and retinal pigment epithelium (OS+RPE), the nerve fiber layer (NFL), the ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer (GCL+IPL), the inner nuclear layer and outer plexiform layer (INL+OPL) and the outer nuclear layer and inner segment (ONL+IS). The relationship between mTH and the thickness of these five different layers was investigated. Additionally, the influence of OS+RPE on mTH was investigated using partial correlation eliminating the effect of other variables of NFL, GCL+IPL, INL+OPL, ONL+IS, age, gender and axial length.</p><p>Results</p><p>The thickness of the OS+RPE layer was significantly decreased with the decrease of mTH (coefficient = 0.63 p <0.001). Partial correlation analysis suggested OS+RPE thickness is significantly (coefficient = 0.31, p <0.001) related to mTH, independent from NFL, GCL+IPL, INL+OPL, ONL+IS, age, gender and axial length.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The thickness of the RPE+OS layer appears to be related to visual sensitivity in glaucoma.</p></div

The relationship between retinal layer thickness measurements and mTH (each thickness was analyzed in a separate linear model).

<p>The relationship between retinal layer thickness measurements and mTH (each thickness was analyzed in a separate linear model).</p

Subjects demographics and comparison of variables between groups.

<p>Subjects demographics and comparison of variables between groups.</p

Macular retinal layer thickness measurements in a sample case.

<p>NFL: nerve fiber layer, GCL+IPL: ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer, INL: inner nuclear layer, OPL: outer plexiform layer, ONL+IS: outer nuclear layer and inner segment layer: OS+RPE outer segment layer and retinal pigment epithelium.</p

The relationship between retinal layer thickness measurements and mTH.

<p>The relationship between retinal layer thickness measurements and mTH was investigated. a: NFL (coefficient = 0.37, p <0.001), b: GCL+IPL (coefficient = 0.41, p <0.001), c: INL+OPL (coefficient = 0.39, p = 0.015) and e: OS+RPE (coefficient = 0.63, p <0.001) were significantly related to mTH however, a significant relationship was not observed between d: ONL+IS and mTH (coefficient = -0.10, p = 0.41). mTH: mean threshold, NFL: nerve fiber layer, GCL+IPL: ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer, INL+OPL: inner nuclear layer and outer plexiform layer, ONL+IS: outer nuclear layer and inner segment layer: OS+RPE outer segment layer and retinal pigment epithelium.</p

The relationship between retinal layer thickness measurements and mTH (all thickness measurements were analyzed in the same linear model).

<p>The relationship between retinal layer thickness measurements and mTH (all thickness measurements were analyzed in the same linear model).</p

The relationship between RPE+OS thickness and age, axial length and gender.

<p>The relationship between RPE+OS thickness and age, axial length and gender.</p