Change of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with nonarteritic inflammatory anterior ischemic optic neuropathy

摘要

In this study, 16 patients (19 eyes) with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in the acute stage (within 4 weeks) and resolving stage (after 12 weeks) were diagnosed by a series of complete ophthalmic examinations, including fundus examination, optical coherence tomography and fluorescein fundus angiography, and visual field defects were measured with standard automated perimetry. The contralateral uninvolved eyes were used as controls. The retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was determined by optical coherence tomography which showed that the mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness from temporal, superior, nasal and inferior quadrants were significantly higher for all measurements in the acute stage than the corresponding normal values. In comparison, the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness from each optic disc quadrant was found to be significantly lower when measured at the resolving stages, than in the control group. Statistical analysis on the correlation between optic disc nerve fiber layer thickness and visual defects demonstrated a positive correlation in the acute stage and a negative correlation in the resolving stage. Our experimental findings indicate that optical coherence tomography is a useful diagnostic method for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and can be used to evaluate the effect of treatment. Research Highlights The retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy was determined by optical coherence tomography. Its correlation with visual field defect was analyzed.The retinal nerve fiber layer thickness from each optic disc quadrant was significantly increased in the acute stage, but significantly decreased in the resolving stage, in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. In the acute stage, the thicker the retinal nerve fiber layer is, the worse the visual defects are. While in the resolving stage, the thinner the retinal nerve fiber layer is, the worse the visual defects are.Optical coherence tomography is a useful diagnostic method for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and can effectively evaluate the efficacy of treatment.