Is retinal nerve fibre layer thickness correlated with visual function in individuals having optic neuritis?

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuro-ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Optic neuritis (ON) diagnosis can be streamlined by correlating paraclinical retinal imaging with clinical tests.
• Assessing the relationship between peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and visual functions is crucial for ON management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between RNFL thickness and visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and color vision in acute ON.
• To determine if retinal imaging can supplement clinical assessments in diagnosing ON.

Main Methods:

• Thirty patients with acute ON underwent ophthalmologic examinations, including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and color vision testing.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure peripapillary RNFL thickness.
• Inclusion criteria ensured a homogenous study group without confounding visual conditions.

Main Results:

• A significant inverse correlation was observed between contrast sensitivity and nasal, inferior, and mean RNFL thickness.
• Visual acuity showed a significant association with nasal RNFL thickness after adjusting for age and sex.
• No significant correlation was found between color vision and RNFL thickness.

Conclusions:

• Contrast sensitivity demonstrates a stronger correlation with RNFL thickness changes compared to visual acuity and color vision in ON.
• Contrast sensitivity testing is a valuable early assessment tool for patients with optic neuritis.
• Integrating RNFL imaging with contrast sensitivity tests may improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of ON diagnosis.