Measurements of the Diameter and Area of the OpticDisc in Enucleated Human eyes

ABSTRACT

To measure the optic disc diamete and area in enucleated human eyes, thirty-three enucleated human eyes (20 men, 13 women), with a mean age of 44.2+/-17.7 years (+/-standard deviation; range 8 -74 years), were studied. After enucleation, the globes were immediately fixed in a solution of 10% formalin, were bisected through the optic nerve head and specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The slides were histomorphometerically evaluated with a light microscope. Each disc was measureed vertically and horizontally on a macrophotograph of the whole specimens with an aligned micromete scale. For correction preparation-induced shrinkage factor, one specimen was measured on the unfixed state. Compared to values obtained in unfixed specimens, preparation-induced shrinkage factor was 6.5% Mean maximal and minimal diameters of the optic disc were 2.16+/-0.15mm (range 1.38 -3.25mm) and 1.79+/-0.44mm (range 1.06 -2.90mm), rrespectively. Mean area of the optic disc was 3.20+/-1.58mm2(range 1.15 - 7.40mm2). These practical values of the optic disc diameter and area may be the important standard units to the further quantiative optic nerve studies.