[Studies on diameter distribution of axons in the optic pathway in human glaucoma]

The distribution of diameters of axons and somas at the level of the optic nerve, lamina cribrosa and retina were compared between human glaucomatous eye and normal control eyes. At the level of lamina scleralis of the glaucomatous eye, there was a tendency for large nerve fibers to be lost in the arcuate nerve fiber area particularly in the inferior arcuate nerve fiber area, where the corresponding visual field defect was detected. The percentages of large axons and somas in the arcuate nerve fiber area decreased in the glaucomatous eye both at the level of the optic nerve, retina but most of all at the level of lamina cribrosa. These results suggest that the mode of optic nerve damage in early glaucoma is characterized by the selective damage of large nerve fibers, which is most severe at the lamina cribrosa.