Characteristics of optic nerve head drusen on optical coherence tomography images

To describe the characteristics of optic nerve head drusen in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.

Cross-sectional images of the optic nerve were obtained in seven patients with optic nerve head drusen with Stratus and spectral-domain OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). These were compared to optic disc photographs, autofluorescence, and echography images. For comparison, these tests were performed on four patients with papilledema and three patients with small optic discs.

Optic nerve head drusen typically elevated the disc surface and appeared as an optically empty cavity, sometimes with a perceptible reflection from the posterior surface. The disc surface was also elevated in cases of papilledema, but had a strong anterior reflectance behind which there was no visible structure. The surface of the small optic nerves was slightly elevated, but with less anterior reflectance.

Optic nerves with drusen showed features in these OCT images that were distinct from cases of papilledema or small optic discs.