The Difference between Ganglion Cell Complex and Nerve Fiber Layer in the Same Altitudinal Halves of the Retina in Hyper-tension and Normal-tension Glaucomas.

Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL) measurements in the same altitudinal half of the eye in hyper-tension (HTG) and normal-tension glaucomas (NTG).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined both eyes in altogether 50 patients (100 eyes). The cohort was divided into two groups, in each of them; there were 25 patients with average age of 55.4 in the NTG group and 54.6 years in the HTG group. The NTG group consisted of 17 women of the average age of 55.35 (range, 25-75) years, and 8 men of the average age of 55.5 (range, 32-69) years. In the HTG group, there were 12 women of the average age of 53.25 (range, 34-69) years, and 13 men of the average age of 60.38 (range, 37-74) years. The criteria for including the patients into the groups were: the visual acuity at least 1.0 (20/20) with possible correction smaller than ± 3 diopters, and approximately identical changes in the visual fields in all patients with initial stage of the glaucoma disease; no other ophthalmic or neurological diseases. In patients in the NTG group, the diagnosis was confirmed by means of electrophysiological examination. The thickness of the GCC was measured by means of SD-OCT RTvue - 100, similarly as the RNFL.

RESULTS: In the statistical survey of the GCC values in HTG and NTG in the same altitudinal halves of the retina we did not establish statistical significant difference. We obtained the same result in statistical evaluation of the RNFL in HTG and NTG groups in the same altitudinal halves of the retinas. Similarly, even after the subtraction the GCC from RNFL values in the same altitudinal halves of the retinas we did not establish statistically significant difference between both groups.

CONCLUSION: The GCC and the RNFL examination values in the same altitudinal halves of the retinas did not establish statistically significant difference that would differ the patients with HTG from patients with NTG. Although, using the OCT, we did not confirm the differences in both diagnostic groups, it does not mean, that these differences do not exist and they may have several causes. Key words: Ganglion Cell Complex (GCC), Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL), Hyper-Tension Glaucoma (HTG), Normal-Tension Glaucoma (NTG).