Objective:To determine to what degree changes in retinal nerve fiber layer RNFL)thickness after optic neuritis(ON)correlate with either visual recovery or impairment.Methods:ON can cause visible defects within the RNFL,which can be quantified using optical coherence tomography(OCT).It may be possible to predict visual recovery by measuring RNFL loss after ON.Fifty-four patients underwent repeated evaluations with optical coherence tomography and standardized ophthalmic testing after ON.Regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between RNFL thickness and visual function.Results:Thinning of the RNFL was seen in the majority of patients(74%),and it tended to occur within 3 to 6 months of ON.The average RNFL value was thinner(p< 0.0001)in the affected(78μ m)compared with the unaffected eye(100μ m).Patients with incomplete visual recovery demonstrated greater RNFL loss after ON.Regression analyses demonstrated a threshold of RNFL thickness(75μ m),below which RNFL measurements predicted persistent visual dysfunction.Interpretation:Determination of RNFL thickness may predict visual recovery after ON,and lower RNFL values correlate with impaired visual function.Optical coherence tomography may have a potential role as a surrogate marker for axonal integrity within the optic nerve among patients with ON.
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