Topographic Differences in Superficial Macular Vessel Density in Eyes with Early Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Normal Tension Glaucoma.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to compare macular vascular microcirculation in early primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), normal tension glaucoma (NTG), and normal subjects. METHODS: 99 patients with early glaucoma (99 eyes: 60 POAG and 39 NTG) and 78 normal subjects were included. All subjects underwent optical coherence tomography angiography scan at 6 × 6 mm macular area. Macular vessel density (VD) and perfusion density (PD) and 9 sectors were compared between the controls, POAG, and NTG groups. Linear regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between VD and other variables including macular PD, signal strength (SS), and mean macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thickness. RESULTS: Significant losses in total area of VD and PD were detected in POAG and NTG groups compared to the controls (all p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in all inner sectors of macular VD and PD between POAG and controls (all p > 0.05). Except for outer-nasal sector, all other outer sectors of macular VD and PD were significantly lower in POAG than in the controls (all p < 0.01). The inferior-inner sector and all outer sectors of VD and PD were significantly lower in NTG than in the controls (all p < 0.01). Macular VD was significantly correlated with macular PD (r = 0.99, p < 0.001), SS (r = 0.60, p < 0.001), and mGCIPL thickness (r = 0.51, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Macular microcirculation declined significantly in early POAG and NTG patients. Macular microcirculation loss in the NTG group was more central and nasal compared with that in the POAG group. A decrease in macular VD was correlated with lower macular PD, lower SS, and thinner mGCIPL thickness.

Prediction of lung cancer risk in Chinese population with genetic-environment factor using extreme gradient boosting.

BACKGROUND: Detecting early-stage lung cancer is critical to reduce the lung cancer mortality rate; however, existing models based on germline variants perform poorly, and new models are needed. This study aimed to use extreme gradient boosting to develop a predictive model for the early diagnosis of lung cancer in a multicenter case-control study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 974 cases and 1005 controls in Shanghai and Taizhou were recruited, and 61 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate the association between signal SNPs and lung cancer risk. Logistic regression (LR) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithms, a large-scale machine learning algorithm, were adopted to build the lung cancer risk model. In both models, 10-fold cross-validation was performed, and model predictive performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: After FDR adjustment, TYMS rs3819102 and BAG6 rs1077393 were significantly associated with lung cancer risk (p < 0.05). For lung cancer risk prediction, the model predicted only with epidemiology attained an AUC of 0.703 for LR and 0.744 for XGBoost. Compared with the LR model predicted only with epidemiology, further adding SNPs and applying XGBoost increased the AUC to 0.759 (p < 0.001) in the XGBoost model. BAG6 rs1077393 was the most important predictor among all SNPs in the lung cancer prediction XGBoost model, followed by TERT rs2735845 and CAMKK1 rs7214723. Further stratification in lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) showed a significantly elevated performance from 0.639 to 0.699 (p = 0.009) when applying XGBoost and adding SNPs to the model, while the best model for lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) prediction was the LR model predicted with epidemiology and SNPs (AUC = 0.833), compared with the XGBoost model (AUC = 0.816). CONCLUSION: Our lung cancer risk prediction models in the Chinese population have a strong predictive ability, especially for SCC. Adding SNPs and applying the XGBoost algorithm to the epidemiologic-based logistic regression risk prediction model significantly improves model performance.

Comparison of ocular axis and corneal diameter between entropion and non-entropion eyes in children with congenital glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: Children with congenital glaucoma are often accompanied by acquired epiblepharon in the lower eyelid, which causes entropion of the lower eyelid and damages the cornea. AIM: To infer the possible causes of lower eyelid entropion by comparing the difference of ocular axis and corneal diameter between inverted and non-inverted ciliary eyes in children with congenital glaucoma. METHODS: A total of 15 patients (11 males and 4 females) diagnosed with congenital glaucoma between July 2016 and January 2019 at Tongren Hospital were included. Five patients had bilateral glaucoma, and ten had unilateral glaucoma. Each patient had only one eye with lower eyelid entropion which is associated with congenital glaucoma. All the patients had no entropion in another eye. The clinical data were collected. Main outcome measures were the ocular axis and corneal diameter. RESULTS: The average age of the 15 patients was 1.85 ± 0.49 years. Paired t-test showed that the average ocular axis of congenital glaucoma eyes with lower eyelid entropion (24.86 ± 3.44 mm) was significantly longer than that of congenital glaucoma eyes without lower eyelid entropion (20.79 ± 1.34 mm; P < 0.001). The average corneal diameter of congenital glaucoma eyes with lower eyelid entropion (13.61 ± 0.88 mm) was also significantly greater than that of congenital glaucoma eyes without lower eyelid entropion (11.63 ± 0.48; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The rapid growth of the ocular axis and corneal diameter may be the main cause of congenital glaucoma with acquired lower eyelid entropion. Therefore, children with poor control of intraocular pressure and excessive growth of ocular axis and corneal diameter must be observed for the existence of acquired epiblepharon.

Comparison of Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness, Functional Subzones, and Macular Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer in Differentiating Patients With Mild, Moderate, and Severe Open-angle Glaucoma.

PRéCIS:: Based on 6 functional subzones of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness, the glaucoma detection ability of zone 2 and zone 4 was high and comparable with that of mean pRNFL in glaucoma groups. PURPOSE: To compare diagnostic performance of pRNFL subzones, mean pRNFL thickness, and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) in mild, moderate, and severe open-angle glaucoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty-one patients with open-angle glaucoma (318 eyes: 122 mild, 60 moderate, and 136 severe glaucoma) and 70 normal subjects underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography measurements. FORUM software was used to determine subzone pRNFL thickness mapping the visual field to the optic disc (6 zones). The thickness and area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) of each parameter were compared between groups. DeLong's method was used to compare AUROCs between mean pRNFL and mGCIPL and each zone of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography parameters. RESULTS: Mean pRNFL thickness (99.81±10.06 µm) and mGCIPL thickness (83.24±5.91 µm) were higher in controls compared with glaucoma (67.42±13.22 and 63.31±10.85 µm; P<0.001). Mean pRNFL had the best diagnostic performance in mild (0.957) and severe (1.000) glaucoma. Of the 6 zonal parameters, zone 2 (associated with the inferior temporal sector) best discriminated glaucomatous changes between controls and mild and moderate (0.941 and 0.988). Zone 4 (associated with the superior temporal sector) best discriminated glaucomatous changes between controls and severe glaucoma (0.998). AUROCs for zone 2 and zone 4 were not significantly different from mean pRNFL and mGCIPL in all glaucoma groups (all P>0.0038). CONCLUSIONS: Mean pRNFL had the best diagnostic performance in mild and severe glaucoma. Glaucoma detection ability of zone 2 and zone 4 was high and comparable with that of mean pRNFL and mGCIPL in all glaucoma groups.

Repeatability and agreement of two anterior segment OCT in myopic patients before implantable collamer lenses implantation.

AIM: To evaluate the intra-operator repeatability of time domain and swept-source Fourier domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), namely, Visante AS-OCT and Casia SS-1000 OCT, in measuring the preoperative parameters of implantable collamer lens (ICL) in myopic eyes, as well as the agreement between the two devices. METHODS: A total of 97 eyes from 49 myopes were investigated in this prospective case series study. The anterior chamber depth (ACD), angle-to-angle distance (ATA), pupil diameter (PD) and crystalline lens rise (CLR) in all subjects were measured for three times during one session by the same operator. The repeatability was evaluated using the within-subject standard deviation (Sw), repeatability limits and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). The agreement between the two systems was evaluated using the Bland-Altman plots and 95% limits of agreement (LoA). RESULTS: The repeatability limits of Visante AS-OCT in measuring ACD, ATA, PD and CLR were 0.099, 0.141, 0.304, and 0.079 mm, respectively. The repeatability limits of Casia SS-1000 OCT in measuring ACD, ATA, PD, and CLR were 0.105, 0.127, 0.357, and 0.082 mm, respectively. Excellent repeatability could be attained in both devices, with the ICC>0.8 for all the measured variables. The interdevice agreement was excellent (P>0.05) for ACD and ATA, but poor (P<0.05) for PD and CLR. CONCLUSION: Good repeatability can be attained by time domain and swept-source Fourier-domain OCT for all the measured variables. Moreover, interdevice agreement analysis suggests that interchangeable measurements between two devices can be achieved for ACD and ATA, but not for PD and CLR; but the differences in measurements were not clinically significant.

Diagnostic ability of ganglion cell complex thickness to detect glaucoma in high myopia eyes by Fourier domain optical coherence tomography.

AIM: To evaluate the ability of macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness using Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) to detect glaucoma in highly myopic eyes. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. A total of 114 participants, consecutively were enrolled. Macular GCC thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were obtained with RTVue FD-OCT. Receiver operating characteristics curves were constructed for each measurement parameter, and areas under the curves (AUCs) were compared. RESULTS: Both the average GCC and average RNFL thickness showed negative correlations with axial length (rGCC=-0.404, P=0.001; rRNFL=-0.561, P<0.001). The largest AUCs from GCC, and RNFL parameters were 0.968 [global loss volume (GLV)], and 0.855 (average RNFL), respectively. GLV was significantly better for detecting high myopic glaucoma than average RNFL (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Macular GCC thickness has higher diagnostic power than peripapillary RNFL thickness to discriminate glaucoma patients from non-glaucoma subjects in high myopia.

Diagnostic accuracy of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies for primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies for primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: Sixty-four pSS subjects and 108 non-pSS patients were prospectively enrolled in this study. Serum anti-alpha-fodrin IgA and IgG were detected by ELISA in a blind fashion. The diagnostic accuracy of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Logistic regression was used to investigate whether anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies could improve the accuracy of pSS diagnosis if used in addition to anti-SSA and anti-SSB. RESULTS: The areas under the ROC curves for anti-alpha-fodrin IgG and IgA were 0.69 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60-0.77) and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.54-0.72), respectively (P < 0.01 for both). The optimal diagnostic thresholds for anti-fodrin IgG and IgA were 11.75 U/ml and 9.75 U/ml, respectively, with a sensitivity of 0.59 and 0.55, and a specificity of 0.75 and 0.73, respectively. Anti-alpha-fodrin IgG and IgA antibodies were associated with pSS after adjustment for anti-SSA and anti-SSB. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-alpha-fodrin IgG and IgA antibodies are useful diagnostic markers which may improve the accuracy of pSS diagnosis.

Axonal loss and blood flow disturbances in the natural course of indirect traumatic optic neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) is an acute injury of the optic nerve associated with severe visual dysfunction, which may be a result of secondary mechanical injury and vascular disorder of the optic nerve due to trauma. We analyzed the natural course of axonal loss and blood flow disturbances in patients with indirect TON to find a possible therapeutic window. METHODS: A cohort of 54 patients with indirect TON recruited between October 2008 and October 2010 at Beijing Tongren Hospital was retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into no light perception group (NLP) and better than NLP (btNLP) group. Specifically, the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and hemodynamic parameters of the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA) and posterior ciliary artery (PCA) were determined. RESULTS: Two weeks after injury, there was a statistically significant decrease in the thickness of RNFL in the btNLP group as compared with the fellow control eyes (P < 0.05). In contrast, in the NLP group, RNFL thickness slightly increased for 2 weeks following injury, then overtly reduced after 4 weeks (P < 0.05). Peak systolic velocity (PSV) of CRA was significantly decreased 4 weeks after injury (P < 0.05) in both the NLP group and btNLP group (P < 0.05). The thickness of RNFL in the NLP group was negatively correlated with PSV of CRA after 1 week of injury (P < 0.05, r = -0.962). CONCLUSIONS: SD-OCT is a useful supplement in detecting the axonal loss in TON. The dynamic change of the thickness of RNFL appears to correlate with the hemodynamic disturbances in the natural course of TON. The first 2 weeks following an injury is critical and should be considered as the therapeutic window for TON patients.

Efficacy of laser peripheral iridoplasty and iridotomy on medically refractory patients with acute primary angle closure: a three year outcome.

BACKGROUND: Argon laser peripheral iridoplasty (ALPI) is proved to be effective in lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) of patients with mild acute primary angle closure (APAC). It is unclear whether this laser treatment is equally efficient in managing patients with severe APAC. This study aimed to evaluate the IOP-lowering efficacy of ALPI and laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) on patients with refractory APAC, who have previously responded poorly to intensive medical therapy. METHODS: Thirty-six patients (8 men and 28 women) were identified as medically refractory APAC, who still had ocular pain, red eye, hazy cornea, closed anterior chamber (AC) angle, and IOP of not less than 21 mmHg after two days or more of anti-glaucoma medication. All enrolled patients underwent ophthalmologic examinations including measurement of visual acuity (VA), best corrected VA (BCVA), IOP, biomicroscopy, and gonioscopy followed by ALPI immediately in the APAC eye and LPI in both eyes. RESULTS: All patients were affected unilaterally, with average age of (54.6 ± 11.7) (range, 37.0 - 75.0) years old. The mean IOP value of the affected eyes dropped from (31.6 ± 7.7) (range, 21.0 - 39.0) mmHg at enrollment to (18.4 ± 8.7) (range, 10.0 - 27.0) mmHg 2 hours after ALPI. At follow-up day 7, the mean IOP value maintained at (14.8 ± 4.2) (range, 9.0 - 21.0) mmHg, which was significantly different (P = 0.000) compared with baseline. The average decrease of IOP in the APAC eyes was (16.8 ± 7.4) (range, 12.0 - 21.0) mmHg. At follow-up three years later, the mean IOP of the APAC eyes stabilized at (16.3 ± 3.2) (range, 9.0 - 20.0) mmHg with at least 180° of AC angle opened. CONCLUSION: ALPI and LPI lower the IOP of medically refractory cases of APAC though they have responded poorly to anti-glaucoma medication.

Triamcinolone intravitreal injection and intraocular pressure in macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion.

PURPOSE: To study the risk factors of increased intraocular pressure (IOP) response to triamcinolone acetonide intravitreal (IVTA) injection in eyes with macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion. METHODS: Eighty-nine eyes with macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion first received periocular injection of 40 mg triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and were followed for one month. According to the diversity of IOP after periocular TA (PTA) injection, they were divided into the elevation IOP group (group A, 26 eyes) and the normal IOP group (group B, 63 eyes). They then received 4 mg TA intravitreal injection. IOP measurements were recorded after PTA and IVTA injections, and were followed for six months. RESULTS: Both PTA and IVTA injections caused a rise in IOP, but it was higher in the IVTA injection (40.45%) than in the PTA injection (29.21%). The mean rise in IOP was more significant in eyes with IVTA injection (28.08 ± 8.24 mmHg) than in eyes with PTA injection (20.87 ± 4.07 mmHg). Patients with an elevation IOP above 6 mmHg after PTA injection had a 73.08% chance of developing a pressure of 24 mmHg or higher, whereas only 12.70% of those with an elevation IOP below 6 mmHg after PTA injection experienced pressure elevation. CONCLUSION: IOP response to PTA injection is a good way to judge IOP response to IVTA. If the patient is highly sensitive to corticosteroid, treatments other than IVTA injection are used to avoid the increased risks associated with intravitreal corticosteroid injection.

[Clinical analysis of long term safety after implantation of iris-fixed phakic intraocular lens Verisyse].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the long-term safety of implantation of iris-fixed phakic intraocular lens (IOL) Verisyse for the treatment of high myopia. METHODS: One hundred and eighteen eyes of 59 cases implanted Verisyse for high myopia in Eye Center of Tongren Hospital from Jan. 2005 to Jan. 2007 were followed up for 48 to 72 months, mean time period was (56.2 ± 16.9) months. There were 32 male cases (64 eyes) and 27 female cases (54 eyes). Age ranged from 22 to 39 years old, mean (26.6 ± 7.5) years. The uncorrected vision acuity was 0.02 - 0.08, and the best corrected vision acuity was 0.3 - 1.0. The visual acuity, refraction, intraocular pressure, corneal endothelium and the distance between Verisyse to corneal and lens was measured separately, and the complications were also observed. The results were treated with analysis of paired-samples t test and Fisher exact probability test. A difference at P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: The complications included the dislocation of Verisyse into anterior chamber in 8 cases (8 eyes, 6.78%), retina detachment in 2 cases (2 eyes, 1.69%), corneal endothelium lost more than 1000/mm(2) in 6 cases (7 eyes, 5.93%), corneal edema in 1 case (1 eye, 0.84%). Pre-operative mean corneal endothelium density was (2821 ± 117)/mm(2), and it was (2249 ± 654)/mm(2) after surgery. There was no significant difference (t = 1.112, P = 0.09) between pre- and post-operative data. Post-operative uncorrected vision improved 5 to 8 lines than that of pre-operation. Post-operative corrected vision improved 1 to 3 lines than that of pre-operation except 1 case (1 eye) developed corneal decompensation and 2 cases (2 eyes) developed retina detachment. SE showed no significant difference in long-term after operation compared with 3 months after surgery (t = 0.641, P = 0.21). The mean intraocular pressure was (16.4 ± 3.4) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa). The distance between anterior surface of IOL and endothelium was (2.468 ± 0.342) mm, distance between posterior surface of IOL and lens was (0.652 ± 0.176) mm, and distance between edge of IOL and peripheral endothelium was (1.728 ± 0.213) mm except eyes occurred Verisyse dislocation. Verisyse dislocation occurred more commonly when the iris was not perfectly crapped in the loop, and the difference was significant (P = 0.000). No glaucoma occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Implantation of Verisyse can correct high myopia effectively. But it damages corneal endothelium in some cases. This complication may be related to the unstable position of Verisyse in the anterior chamber. So we should pay more attention to the safety of this kind of phakic IOL clinically.

[MicroRNA profiling in T cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cell from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression pattern of microRNA (miRNA) in T cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). METHODS: The expression profile of miRNA in T cells of PBMC was determined by microarray assay and validated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: In comparison with the healthy controls, 23 miRNA were down-regulated and 2 miRNA had a higher expression (all P < 0.05). As revealed by qRT-PCR, the expressions of miR-346, miR-17-5p, miR-20a and miR-let-7b decreased obviously while miR-451 and miR-129 became up-regulated. The results were in agreement with those of microarray. CONCLUSIONS: The PBC patients and healthy controls have significantly different expression profiles of microRNA in T cells of PBMC. The differential expression of microRNA may be involved in the pathogenesis of PBC.

Enhanced expression of proneurotrophins in elevated introcular pressure-induced rat retinal ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Proneurotrophins such as the precursor of nerve growth factor (proNGF) and the precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) interacted with sortilin and p75(NTR) to form a complex capable of activating an apoptotic signaling. We found that the expression of p75(NTR) and sortilin was increased in ischemic retina induced by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), but the protein expression changes of proNGF and proBDNF in the same situation were not clear. This study aimed to ascertain the protein expression changes of proNGF and proBDNF in ischemic retina induced by elevated IOP. METHODS: Expression of proBDNF and proNGF was examined by double-labeling immunochemistry in normal rat retina, examined using Western blotting and analyzed using statistical methods in ischemic retina induced by elevated IOP. RESULTS: Immunocytochemistry showed that the proBDNF expressed in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) while the proNGF primarily existed in both the nerve fiber layers (NFL) and large ganglion cell bodies of normal rat retina. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that the molecule weights of 28 kD (proBDNF)/25 kD (proNGF) band were increased significantly (P < 0.05) at days 3, 5 and 7 after retinal elevated-IOP-induced ischemia. CONCLUSION: ProBDNF expressed in the GCL and proNGF primarily presented in NFL and large ganglion cell bodies of normal rat retina, the protein expression forms of 28 kD proBDNF and 25 kD proNGF increased in ischemic retina induced by elevated IOP.

Time course degeneration and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in mer-knockout mice.

BACKGROUND: Müller cells in the mammalian retina normally express low levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); however, its expression is upregulated in response to the loss of retinal neurons. The change in expression of GFAP is one of the earliest indicators of retinal damage and is correlated with the time course of disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the time course of degeneration and the expression of GFAP in the retina of mer knockout mice. METHODS: A total of 30 mer knockout mice, aged from 15 - 20 days to 1 year and 32 age-matched wild type mice as controls were tested. Immunohistochemistry was used to show the expression of GFAP in the central and peripheral retina of mer knockout and control mice at postnatal age of 15 days (P15d), 20 days (P20d), 4 weeks (P4w), 6 weeks (P6w), 8 weeks (P8w), 3 months (P3m), 6 months (P6m) and 1 years (P1y). RESULTS: The expression of GFAP in the central and peripheral retina of wild type mice was limited to the retinal ganglion cell and nerve fiber layers. In the central retina of mer knockout mice, GFAP expression was upregulated at P4w and GFAP immunolabelling penetrates across the entire thickness of the retina at P8w; whereas in the peripheral retina, the GFAP expression was upregulated at P20d and GFAP immunolabelling penetrates the entire retina after P4w. CONCLUSIONS: Increased expression of GFAP in Müller cells of mer knockout mice occur at P20d in the peripheral retina and P4w in the central retina. GFAP expression in Müller cells appears to be a secondary response to the loss of retinal neurons. Increased expression of GFAP may occur prior to any detectable morphological changes in the retina. This study suggests that the loss of retinal neurons may begin in the early stages of retinitis pigmentosa, prior to the discovery of any morphological changes in the retina.

Loss of melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells in a rat glaucoma model.

BACKGROUND: Glaucoma can cause progressive damage to retinal ganglion cells. These cells can be classified as cells projecting to the superior colliculus and melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells, which project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This study was to investigate the effects of chronic intraocular pressure elevation on melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells in rats. METHODS: Chronic intraocular pressure elevation was induced in one eye of adult Wistar rats by cauterization of three episcleral veins. Intraocular pressure was measured at different intervals with a rebound tonometer. Superior collicular retinal ganglion cells were retrogradely labeled from the superior colliculus with Fluorogold. Melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells were visualized by free-floating immunohistochemistry on whole-mount retinas. The number of labeled superior collicular and melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells were counted in the sample areas on flat-mounted retinas. RESULTS: Compared with contralateral control eyes, the numbers of both superior collicular and melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells were significantly reduced after 12 weeks of experimental intraocular pressure elevation ((2317.41 +/- 29.96)/mm(2) vs (1815.82 +/- 24.25)/mm(2); (26.20 +/- 2.10)/mm(2) vs (20.62 +/- 1.52)/mm(2), respectively). The extent of cell loss of the two types of retinal ganglion cells was similar. However, no morphologic changes were found in melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells. CONCLUSION: Both melanopsin-containing and superior collicular retinal ganglion cells were damaged by chronic ocular hypertension, indicating that glaucomatous neural degeneration involves the non-image-forming visual pathway.