ASSESSMENT OF RETINAL NERVE FIBER LAYER IN MYOPIA AND PRIMARY OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA

M. Szymkowiak and P. Rusek

Institute Clinic of Ophthalmology, Silesian School of Medicine, Poland

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of scanning laser polarimetry to distinguish between patients with myopia, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and myopic patients with POAG. Methods: Retrospective study of 28 patients with myopia at range -1.0-6.0 diopters with no pathology in fundus examination (group I), 24 patients with early stage of POAG (group II) and 23 myopic (same range) patients with POAG (group III). All of them underwent ocular examination, evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer using NFA-GDx, axial length measurement and perimetry. Intraocular pressure ranged from 16 to 21 mmHg. Results: GDx parameters demonstrated statistically significant differences between myopic patients and patients with POAG from both groups (II and III). No statistically significant pathological changes in retinal nerve fiber layer were found in myopic patients (group I). There were no significant differences in GDx parameters between patients with POAG and myopic patients with POAG. Conclusions: Scanning laser polarimetry is capable of detecting early glaucomatous damage in myopia at range –1,0-6.0.