Severity-dependent association between ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness and macular mean sensitivity in...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by vision loss.
• Assessing the structure-function relationship is crucial for understanding glaucoma progression.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and standard automated perimetry (SAP) are key diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the structure-function relationship between macular mean sensitivity (mMS) and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness (GCIPLT).
• To compare this relationship with that between mMS and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (pRNFLT).
• To analyze these relationships based on glaucoma severity.

Main Methods:

• Included 362 eyes with open-angle glaucoma and 130 healthy eyes.
• Used Cirrus OCT for GCIPLT and pRNFLT measurements.
• Assessed mMS using 30-2 SAP and linear regression models.

Main Results:

• GCIPLT showed stronger associations with mMS in moderate and advanced glaucoma.
• pRNFLT had moderate associations in early/moderate glaucoma but none in advanced stages.
• No significant associations were found between mMS and either parameter in preperimetric glaucoma.

Conclusions:

• GCIPLT demonstrates a stronger structure-function relationship with mMS in advanced glaucoma compared to pRNFLT.
• GCIPLT is a better indicator of macular functional damage in advanced glaucoma than pRNFLT.