Morphology of the optic nerve head in glaucomatous eyes with visual field defects in superior or inferior hemifield.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the morphology of optic nerve head (ONH) and border tissue (BT) of Elschnig in glaucomatous eyes with visual field defects in superior or inferior hemifield.

METHODS: In a case-control study, we included 25 patients with superior arcuate scotoma, 25 patients with inferior arcuate scotoma, and 25 healthy controls. They received visual field testing, measurement of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and ONH examination in a radial pattern with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. In each ONH scan, the length of Bruch membrane opening (BMO) and BT were measured. Pattern deviation of 6 areas of the visual field and RNFL thickness in corresponding sectors was calculated.

RESULTS: Mean BMO length did not differ between groups. Compared with controls, glaucomatous eyes with superior scotoma had a greater BT length in inferior sectors (p<0.001), and eyes with inferior scotoma had a greater BT length in superotemporal sectors (p = 0.006). In both groups, a significant correlation was found between BT length and pattern deviation and RNFL thickness of corresponding sectors of superior and inferior hemifields.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with arcuate scotoma in one hemifield, the length of the BT correlates with glaucomatous anatomical and functional damage.