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Parapapillary chorioretinal atrophy in normal and glaucoma eyes. I. Morphometric data
J B Jonas1, X N Nguyen, G C Gusek
1Department of Ophthalmology, University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|May 1, 1989
Summary
Glaucoma patients show significantly larger parapapillary zones Alpha and Beta compared to healthy individuals. These changes, indicative of optic nerve damage, are most pronounced in the nasal sector, even in early disease stages.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Optic Nerve Research
- Glaucoma Studies
Background:
- Glaucomatous optic nerve damage is linked to changes in the optic disc's surrounding areas.
- The parapapillary region, including zones Alpha and Beta, is crucial for assessing optic nerve health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the size and frequency of parapapillary zones Alpha and Beta in patients with chronic primary open-angle glaucoma and healthy subjects.
- To determine if these zones differ significantly between glaucoma patients and controls, and across different glaucoma stages.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 582 eyes of glaucoma patients and 390 eyes of normal subjects.
- Measurement and comparison of parapapillary chorioretinal atrophy (zones Alpha and Beta) in different sectors of the optic disc.
- Exclusion of highly myopic eyes (>-8.00 D) to ensure accurate measurements.
Main Results:
- Both parapapillary zones Alpha and Beta were significantly larger and more frequent in glaucoma eyes than in normal eyes (P < 0.0001).
- Differences were significant even in the earliest stages of glaucoma.
- The nasal parapapillary sector showed the most marked differences between groups.
Conclusions:
- Parapapillary zones Alpha and Beta are significantly altered in glaucoma, serving as potential indicators of glaucomatous optic nerve damage.
- These alterations are detectable even in early glaucoma stages and are particularly prominent in the nasal sector.