The Relationship between the Capillary Nonperfusion Area and the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Defects in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between the capillary nonperfusion area and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) patients. METHODS: We compared the difference between the RNFL thickness of both eyes in unilateral BRVO patients using the scanning laser polarimeter (GDx R ). The mean RNFL thickness was calculated for each quadrant. Fluorescein angiography was done to determine the retinal capillary nonperfusion area and we evaluated the relationship between the retinal capillary nonperfusion area and the right-left difference of RNFL thickness. RESULTS: In left superior temporal BRVO group, the Average of RNFL was thinner (p=0.015) and the Integral was smaller (p=0.045) in the left BRVO eye than in the right normal eye in the superior temporal sector. In patients with the other sector BRVO, there was no significant difference of RNFL thickness between both eyes. As the retinal capillary nonperfusion area increased, the right-left difference of Average increased in the superior temporal sector in patients with left superior temporal BRVO (p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: The scanning laser polarimeter allowed the quantification of RNFL defect in patients with BRVO, and it may help to evaluate the quantification of retinal ischemia.