Ability of fourier-domain optical coherence tomography to detect retinal ganglion cell complex atrophy in glaucoma patients

To evaluate the diagnostic ability of Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) measurements in both normal individuals and patients with different stages of glaucoma.

A total of 113 patients diagnosed with glaucoma and classified into different stages of glaucoma according to Glaucoma Staging System 2 and 30 healthy individuals were included in this study. In all patients, parameters of both the retinal ganglion cell complex (GCC) and the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer were measured by FD-OCT (RTVue-100). Comparisons were made from measurements in patients with different stages of glaucoma.

Both GCC and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness values of patients with glaucoma were statistically significantly lower compared with those of healthy individuals. As the stage of glaucoma progressed, the mean GCC and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness values decreased.

GCC and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements performed by FD-OCT showed high diagnostic ability in detecting glaucoma. Mean thickness values can be determined for each glaucoma stage.