Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 14, 2025
Application of Optical Coherence Tomography to a Mouse Model of Retinopathy
Published on: January 12, 2022
Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber and ganglion cell layer abnormalities using optical coherence tomography in
Alisson Lima Andrade1, Thiago Pereira Faria1, Roberta Lilian Fernandes de Sousa Meneghim1
1Department of Surgical Specialties and Anaesthesiology, Ophthalmology Division, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
Purpose:
This study aimed to evaluate abnormalities in the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy using optical coherence tomography and to examine their relationship with disease severity.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 74 participants, comprising 45 individuals with thyroid-associated orbitopathy and 29 healthy controls. All subjects underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological examination and optical coherence tomography using the Cirrus HD-OCT. The clinical activity score and the European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy severity were also evaluated.
Results:
In the thyroid-associated orbitopathy group, the mean peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was significantly reduced in the temporal quadrant (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in ganglion cell layer thickness across all sectors when compared with the control group. Besides, a significant correlation was observed between orbitopathy severity and decreased mean peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
Optical coherence tomography may serve as a useful tool for identifying changes in the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy, including in the inactive phase and prior to the clinical manifestation of dysthyroid optic neuropathy. It may be a helpful adjunct in monitoring disease progression.
