Associations between structure and function are different in healthy and glaucomatous eyes

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Glaucoma Research

Background:

• Structure-function (SF) relationships are crucial for understanding glaucoma.
• Assessing these associations in both healthy and glaucomatous eyes is vital for accurate diagnosis and progression monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the structure-function associations in healthy versus glaucomatous eyes.
• To determine if differences exist in these associations across various sectors of the optic nerve head.

Main Methods:

• Utilized three datasets analyzing optic nerve head rim area (RA) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) against visual field parameters (MS, MD).
• Employed correlation analyses (Pearson, Spearman, Kendall) and regression models (GEE, OLS) to assess SF associations.
• Adjusted for multiple comparisons using Bonferroni corrections and inter-eye correlations with GEE.

Main Results:

• None of the tested Pearson correlations were significant in healthy eyes (range: -0.17 to 0.37).
• In contrast, 77% of correlations were significant in glaucomatous eyes (range: 0.01 to 0.79).
• Similarly, 82% of regression slopes were significant in glaucomatous eyes (range: 0.02 to 1.38), versus none in healthy eyes.

Conclusions:

• Consistent and significant structure-function associations were found exclusively in glaucomatous eyes.
• No significant structure-function associations were detected in healthy eyes.
• These disparities necessitate careful consideration in developing models for glaucoma progression.