Comparing characteristics of the optic nerve head among subjects with suspected glaucoma in different ages of onset

Abstract

Introduction/Objective. Evaluation of the optic nerve head (ONH) is an inevitable procedure in the diagnosis of glaucoma. One of the most common imaging techniques for a quantitative assessment of the topography of the ONH is the Heidelberg retinal tomography II (HRT II). The aim of this study was to determine quantitative stereometric parameters of the ONH by using the HRT II and to investigate any damage of neuroretinal rim in children with suspected glaucoma and compared these data with the group of adults with suspected glaucoma. Methods. This comparative study included 167 (167 eyes) children aged 11?3 years with suspected juvenile glaucoma and 175 adult participants (175 eyes), aged 60?3 years, also with suspected glaucoma, examined between January 2013 and April 2014. Optic nerve head topography and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were assessed using a HRT II. Results. Data analysis in this study showed that the average mean values for children/adults were: disc area (mm2) 2.828?0.489/2.663?0.412 (p<0.001); rim area (mm2) 1.873?0.391/1.667?0.275 (p<0.001); cup/disc area ratio 0.369?0.125/0.369?0.101 (p=0.530); mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (mm) 0.223?0.078/0.219?0.055 (p=0.494). Statistically significant difference in damage of neuroretinal rim, between children and adults, was found in temporal (T) and temporal-inferior (Ti) segments. Conclusions. There were differences in some of the investigated quantitative parameters of the ONH between children and adults, as optic disc size, cup and rim area and rim volume. By using MRA, difference in the damage of the neuroretinal rim, when comparing children and adult optic discs appeared only in T and Ti segments, which means that optic disc cupping has spread more in children than in adults.