Background/Aim. Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal tension
glaucoma (NTG) demonstrate the same structural changes in the optic disc
along with visual field defects but only POAG includes an abnormal elevation
of intraocular pressure. Heidelberg retina tomograph based on confocal
scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (HRT) and Moorfields regression analysis (MRA)
have been employed to quantitatively assess the topography of eye papilla. We
measured stereographic parameters of eye papilla in patients with POAG, NTG,
and ocular hypertension (OH) using an HRT in order to determine whether HRT
topographic parameters can be used to differentiate those conditions.
Methods. The results of 145 eyes of 145 patients with OH, NTG and POAG were
analyzed by age, refractive error, quality of HRT images, stereometric and
MRA parameters. Results. Significant differences were found between NTG and
other two groups for a majority of the HRT parameters, and also no
differences between OH and POAG patients for a majority of the investigated
parameters, except thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer. By reading the MRA
no differences were found in the distribution of mostly damaged and mostly
preserved neuroretinal rim sectors between NTG and POAG patients, and also
all sectors of the neuroretinal rim in OH patients were preserved.
Conclusion. HRT stereometric parameters are useful to differentiate patients
with OH and NTG, and also for differentiation between NTG and POAG patients,
but most of parameters showed no difference between OH and POAG patients. MRA
may serve to confirm the diagnosis of OH, but not for precise distinction
between NTG and POAG.
The role of confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy in stereometric differentiation of eye papilla in ocular hypertension, normal tension glaucoma and primary open-angle glaucoma
