Purpose: To determine whether scanning laser polarimetry could detect
the glaucomatous changes of nerve fiber thickness in the parafoveal area.
Methods: Enrolled in this study were 14 eyes with glaucoma showing at
least a point with 6 dB or more decrease in pattern deviation within
central-10-degree-visual field in the central 30-2 program of Humphrey Field
Analyzer (HFA), along with 14 normal control eyes. Averaged mean deviation and
corrected pattern standard deviation were -3.74+-2.72dB (ranging from +0.53dB
to -7.45dB) and 5.17+-3.07dB (ranging from 0.55dB to 10.43 dB) respectively in
glaucoma eyes. The fundus images centered on the fovea were taken three times
for each eye using Nerve Fiber Analyzer II (NFA II). The nerve fiber layer
thickness was measured along a circle of 90 pixels in diameter around the fovea
with 5-pixel width. The measured ring was divided into 12 sectors. The nerve
fiber thickness of each of the six sectors in the superior hemisphere was
compared with that of the sector opposite to the fovea and the ratio of them was evaluated.
Results: The ratio of the three upper temporal sectors in eyes with
glaucoma was significantly different from that in normal eyes, indicating
asymmetrical nerve fiber thickness in the sectors on the opposite side of the
fovea in eyes with glaucoma.
Conclusions: Glaucomatous changes of nerve fiber thickness could be
detected in the parafoveal area with scanning laser polarimetry.