Age-Related Differences of Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Data in Koreans

PURPOSE: We evaluated the thickness of RNFL and optic nerve head parameters with age in normal eyes using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS: A total of 128 normal Korean volunteers in different age groups were recruited (age range, 20-70 years). RESULTS: A significant negative correlation in average RNFL thickness with increasing age was found. The inferior areas (130.31 +/- 3.33 micrometer) were significantly thicker than other areas (superior area 119.05 +/- 2.12 micrometer, nasal area 71.80 +/- 0.57 micrometer, temporal area 77.72 +/- 0.16 micrometer). The average C/D ratios (mean 0.38 +/- 0.14) and vertical C/D ratios (mean 0.35 +/- 0.11) both showed significant increases with age, and the vertical C/D ratio correlation coefficient was higher (average C/D ratio r = 0.249, vertical C/D ratio r = 0.537). However, rim area, disc area, and cup volume were not correlated with age. CONCLUSIONS: From these findings, we conclude that, in normal Koreans, the mean RNFL thickness decreases and the C/D ratio increases with age, with the increase in the vertical C/D ratio being greater.

Optical Coherence Tomography Parameters of Normal, Glaucoma Suspect, and Early Glaucoma Patients

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to compare optic nerve head (ONH) analysis parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness parameters as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) among age-matched normal eyes, glaucoma-suspect eyes, and early glaucomatous eyes; and to determine the discriminating parameter best suited to distinguish early glaucoma in age-matched normal eyes and glaucoma- suspect eyes. METHODS: One hundred two normal eyes, 72 glaucoma-suspect eyes, and 85 eyes with early glaucoma that had been submitted to OCT and Humphrey field analysis were enrolled in this study. Optic nerve head analysis values and RNFL thickness values with OCT scans were compared among all groups. Sensitivity and specificity for the detection of early glaucoma were determined with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The best-suited parameters were determined to be from 0.637 to 0.753 in optic nerve head parameters and from 0.506 to 0.759 in RNFL thickness parameters calculated with the area under the ROC curve (AUROC). The average thickness for early glaucomatous eye (0.818) had the widest AUROC among all parameters. The sensitivity and specificity of RNFL thickness parameter were determined to be 49.4% and 93.1%, respectively, at the cut-off value 92.17 micrometer. CONCLUSIONS: Optic nerve head and RNFL thickness parameters measured with OCT have relatively high sensitivity and specificity for detecting early glaucomatous eyes. Furthermore, they may provide clinically relevant information for the detection of early glaucomatous damage and for monitoring glaucomatous changes.

Comparison of Glaucomatous Parameters in Normal, Ocular Hypertensive and Glaucomatous Eyes Using Optical Coherence Tomography 3000

This study was performed to evaluate optic disc appearance, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and macular thickness in normal, ocular hypertensive (OHT) and glaucomatous eyes using optical coherence tomography (OCT) 3000. One hundred fifty-eight eyes of 167 consecutive subjects were enrolled: 60 normal, 53 OHT, and 54 glaucomatous. OCT topographic parameters of cup diameter, cup area, rim area, and cup/disc area ratio were significantly less in OHT eyes than in normal eyes and were significantly less in glaucomatous eyes than in normal and OHT eyes. RNFL was significantly thinner in OHT eyes than in normal eyes in the inferior quadrant, and in glaucomatous eyes than in OHT and normal eyes in the mean and for all four quadrants. Macular thickness was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes than in OHT and normal eyes throughout all subdivisions. Optic disc parameters, and RNFL and macular thickness measurements made with OCT may be useful in the clinical assessment of glaucoma.

Criteria to Determine the Relevance of the Changes of Disc Parameter to the Progress of the Disease

The purpose of this study is to establish the criteria to discriminate whether the difference of the optic disc parameters compared actually reflects the progress of the disease or it is merely caused by the intraexaminer or interexaminer error. Using the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TopSS), one eye of each of 20 healthy adults were exmained by the same examiner and one eye of each of 10 adults were examined by different examiners for two consecutive days. The results out of these repeated examinations were analysed to obtain 95%confidence intervals by analysis of the change of the 12 optic disc parameters, and to determine whether the results have been influenced by the disc size or the disc tilt. The criteria to differentiate actual progression of disease from potential errors of the test were obtained. In addition, it was confirmed that changes in the parameters were not influenced by the disc size or the contour tilt. In conclusion,the outcomes of this study can be utilized as a guiding criteria when judging the relevance of the parameter changes to the progress of the disease.

Diagnostic Criteria, Its Sensitivity, and Specificity with the Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope TopSSTM

This study was conducted to establish glaucomatous diagnostic criteria and to investigate its sensitivity and specificity with the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope(TopSSTM) on the basis of the normal values of the optic disc parameters in previous study. Abnormal ratio of optic disc parameters were analysed in 80 primary open angle glaucoma eyes - the subjects were divided into three groups according to visual field defects, each group of mild, moderate, and severe. and then glaucomatous diagnostic critera was established. According to this diagnostic criteria, we calculated its sensitivity and specificity. We established the glaucomatous diagnostic criteria with high sensitive five parameters(1/2 depth area, C/D ratio, neuroretinal rim area(NRRA), volume above, and notching), the established criteria are 1) If NRRA is decreased, one of the four parameters is abnormal. 2) If NRRA is normal, notching and one of the other three parameters are abnormal. Notching was defined as decreased neuroretinal area at either 6 o/c or 12 o/c sector. With this criteria, the sensitivity was 89.7% in mild group and 100% in moderate and severe groups and the specificity was 89.1% in normal groups. This criteria showed high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of glaucoma, so as to be useful in the early detection of glaucomatous spticdisc changes.

Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predictive Value of Optic Disc Parameters in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Attempts to quantify the parameters of optic nerve head structure have been made to recognize the earliest structural abnormalities in glaucoma, and to efficiently monitor the structural changes of the optic nerve head with advancing disease. Optic disc parameters were measured in 88 normal subjects and 149 primary open-angle glaucoma patients using a computer graphic program (Adobe photoshopTM) and the photographic magnification was corrected according to Littmanns method. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of optic disc parameters were calculated to discriminate between normal and glaucomatous eyes at different stages of glaucoma. Receiver operating characteristics curves were used for comparisons of different disc parameters. In the group with mild glaucomatous visual field (VF) defects (mean deviation (MD); better than -5dB, group 1), optic disc parameters did not provide greater sensitivity and specificity enough to detect early glaucomatous optic nerve head damage. In the group with moderate VF defects (MD; -6~-10dB, group 2) and advanced VF defects (MD; worse than -11dB, group 3), the minimum rim width within the 60 sector across the vertical meridian (predictive value; 84.4%, 95.9%, respectively), vertical cup to disc ratio (83.7%, 95.2%, respectively), and rim area to disc area ratio (83.7%, 95.1%, respectively) were helpful to identify the glaucomatous eyes, whereas horizontal cup to disc ratio (77.3%, 90.3%, respectively) and cup area (75.2%, 89.0%, respectively) were less helpful in this regard.

The Effect of Optic Disc Size or Age on Evaluation of Optic Disc Parameters

It has been reported that the number of optic nerve fibers decrease with age, and the C/D ratio increases as the optic disc size increases. Consequently, the normal values of the optic disc parameters measured by an optic disc analyser may change according to the optic disc size or age. We attempted to investigate the effect of individual variations in optic disc size or age on interpretation of optic disc parameters. Topographic disc parameters of 104 normal subjects aged 40 to 69 were measured using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TopSSTM , Laser Diagnostic Technologies, Inc.). Fourteen parameters were evaluated according to the optic disc size or age. Statistical analysis was done by regression analysis. With an increase in optic disc size, the increase in cup shape, effective area, 1/2 depth area, C/D ratio, neuroretinal rim area, volume above, volume below, and 1/2 depth volume were statistically significant (p0.1). Age did not show any statistically significant influence on optic disc parameters (p>0.1). In conclusion, optic disc size, but not age, should be considered in the interpretation of optic disc parameters.