In Vivo Detection of Laminar and Peripapillary Scleral Hypercompliance in Early Monkey Experimental Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare optical coherence tomography (OCT) detected, optic nerve head (ONH) compliance within control and experimental glaucoma (EG) eyes of 15 monkeys at EG onset.

METHODS: Intraocular pressure (IOP) was chronically elevated in one eye of each animal using a laser. Experimental glaucoma onset was identified using confocal scanning laser tomography (CSLT). Optical coherence tomography ONH imaging (40 radial B-scans) was performed at 10 mm Hg before and after laser. At EG onset, OCT scans were obtained at IOP 10 and 30 mm Hg. Optical coherence tomography landmarks within the IOP 10/30 images were delineated to quantify IOP 10/30 differences (compliance) for anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth (ALCSD) relative to Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) (ALCSD-BMO), ALCSD relative to peripheral BM (ALCSD-BM), and BMO depth relative to peripheral BM (BMOD-BM). A linear mixed effects model assessed for acute IOP elevation effects, control versus EG eye effects, and their interaction.

RESULTS: Effects of IOP elevation were greater in EG versus control eyes for ALCSD-BMO (-46 ± 45 vs. -8 ± 13 μm, P = 0.0042) and ALCSD-BM (-92 ± 64 vs. -42 ± 22 μm, P = 0.0075). Experimental glaucoma eye-specific ALCSD-BMO and ALCSD-BM compliance exceeded the range of control eye compliance in 9 and 8 of the 15 EG eyes, respectively. Post-laser peak IOP (R2 = 0.798, P < 0.0001) and post-laser mean IOP (R2 = 0.634, P < 0.0004) most strongly correlated to EG versus control eye differences in ALCSD-BMO compliance.

CONCLUSIONS: Laminar (ALCSD-BMO) and peripapillary scleral (ALCSD-BM) hypercompliance are present in most monkey eyes at the onset of EG.