Correlation Between Disc Hemorrhage and Peripapillary Atrophy in Glaucoma Patients with Unilateral Disc Hemorrhage

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation of peripapillary atrophy with disc hemorrhage in glaucoma patients with a unilateral disc hemorrhage METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on the medical records of 36 glaucoma patients (7 with primary open-angle glaucoma and 29 with normal-tension glaucoma) with a unilateral disc hemorrhage during a mean follow-up period of 25 months. Topographic measurements were performed with Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) within three months of detection of a disc hemorrhage. The parameters of zone beta of peripapillary atrophy were analyzed by the atrophy zone analysis program and compared with the fellow eyes. RESULTS: The area, angular and radial extent of zone beta, and ratio of zone beta area to disc area were significantly greater in the hemorrhagic eyes than in the contralateral eyes. The difference of refractive error, intraocular pressure, MD and CPSD of visual fields was not found to be significant between both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The area and extent of peripapillary atrophy was significantly greater in the eyes with disc hemorrhage compared to the contralateral control eyes. This study suggested quantitatively that the peripapillary atrophy is associated closely with disc hemorrhage in glaucoma patients.