Comparing acromegalic patients to healthy controls with respect to intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, and optic disc topography findings.

Aims: The aim was to compare the intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), and optic disc topography fi ndings of biochemically controlled acromegalic patients and the control group and to evaluate the eff ect of the duration of acromegaly and serum growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels on these ocular parameters. Materials and Methods: IOP measurement with Goldmann applanation tonometry, CCT measurement with ultrasonic pachymetry, and topographic analysis with Heidelberg retinal tomograph III were performed on 35 biochemically controlled acromegalic patients and 36 age- and gender-matched controls. Results: Mean IOP and CCT were 14.7 ± 2.9 mmHg and 559.5 ± 44.9 m in the acromegaly patients and 13.0 ± 1.6 mmHg and 547.1 ± 26.7 m in controls (P = 0.006 and P = 0.15, respectively). A signifi cant moderate correlation was found between the duration of acromegaly and CCT (r = 0.391) and IOP (r = 0.367). Mean retinal nerve fi ber layer (RNFL) thickness was signifi cantly lower in the acromegalic patients (0.25 ± 0.05 mm) as compared to controls (0.31 ± 0.09 mm) (P = 0.01). A signifi cant moderate correlation was detected between IGF-1 level and disc area (r = 0.362), cup area (r = 0.389) and cup volume (r = 0.491). Conclusion: Biochemically controlled acromegalic patients showed signifi cantly higher CCT and IOP levels and lower RNFL thickness compared to healthy controls and the duration of disease was correlated with CCT and IOP levels.

Optic Disc Measurements with Personal Computer in Normal Eyes

Quantification of the optic nerve head topography is getting more and more important in diagnosis, differential diagnosis and follow-up of optic nerve diseases, especially in glaucoma. This study was undartaken to measura optic disc parameters and further to determine side, gender, age, refractive errorrelated differences in the size and topography of the optic disc. The radius and angle of the optic disc and cup were measured every 30 degrees by a computer graphic program(Adobe Photoshop(TM)) in 142 eyes of 78 normal subjects(37 men, 41 women, mean age 47.2 +/- 14.2). The actual optic disc sizes were corrected based on refraction and anterior corneal curvature utilizing Littmanns method. Optic disc area averaged 2.47 +/- 0.48mm2, vertical disc diameter 1.86 +/- 0.18mm, horizontal disc diameter 1.68 +/- 0.18mm. Optic cup area averaged 0.56 +/- 0.28mm2, vertical cup diameter 0.68 +/- 0.28mm, horizontal cup diameter 0.84 +/- 0.27mm. Neuroretinal rim area averaged 1.90 +/- 0.37mm2 and rim width was widest in the inferior disc pole, followed by the superior, nasal, and temporal poles. A highly significant linear correlation between disc area and rim area was observed(r=0.81, p=0.0001) together with a correlation between the disc area and cup area(r=0.58, p=0.0001). Concerning optic disc area, side differences of 0.25mm2 or less were found in 60% and of 0.5 mm2 or less in 90%. Concerning neuroretinal rim area, side differences of 0.25mm2 or less were found in 73% and of 0.5mm2 or less in 90%. There were no significant correlations between these morphometric optic disc data and side, gender, age, or refractive error.