Detect Glaucoma Using This Strategy

Glaucoma damage appears to be detectable by spectral domain  optical coherence tomography (SC OCT), according to an analysis of 74 studies published since the last glaucoma imaging Ophthalmic Technology Assessment. Among the findings:  

• SD OCT ican detect retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL),  macula, and optic nerve damage in patients with preperimetric and perimetric glaucoma.
• RNFL thickness measurements are not interchangeable between instruments.
• All SD OCT instruments are able to detect the same typical pattern of glaucoma-related RNFL loss.
• Macular imaging also can detect a preferential inferior, inferior temporal, and superior temporal thinning in patients with glaucoma.
• Global rim area, inferior rim area, and vertical cup-to-disc ratio appear to be the best disc parameters for detecting glaucoma-related nerve damage. 
• Newer reference-plane independent optic nerve parameters may have similar or better detection capability vs older reference-plane dependent disc parameters. 

Chen T, Hoguet A, Lunk A, et al.  Spectral-domain OCT: Helping the clinician diagnose glaucoma. Ophthalmology. 2018;125(11):1817-1827 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.05.008.