Inner Retinal Thinning Comparison between Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Imaging
• Vascular Occlusion

Background:

• Branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) are distinct conditions affecting the retina.
• Assessing tomographic retinal layer thickness is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring retinal diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the tomographic retinal layer thickness in eyes with BRAO versus primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
• To identify specific retinal layer changes indicative of BRAO.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 27 patients (16 with BRAO, 11 with POAG) who underwent SD-OCT scans.
• Analysis included macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), inner nuclear layer (INL), neuroretinal rim (NRR), circumpapillary RNFL, and hemisphere asymmetry (HA).

Main Results:

• Statistically significant differences in total IPL and INL thinning between BRAO and POAG groups (p=0.0067 and p<0.0001, respectively).
• Significant hemisphere asymmetry (HA) differences for total macular thinning, mRNFL, GCL, IPL, and INL (p<0.0001).
• No significant difference in average total retinal thinning, total mRNFL, and GCL thinning between groups.

Conclusions:

• Unilateral inner retinal thinning, especially INL thinning and HA difference >17µm, may signify temporal BRAO.
• These findings can aid in diagnosing previous, undiagnosed BRAO.
• Early diagnosis may help prevent further retinal arterial occlusion and cerebrovascular events.