Evaluation of the Ganglion Cell Complex and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Low, Moderate, and High Myopia: A Study by RTVue Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

• Published in: Seminars in ophthalmology Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 682 - 688
• Main Authors: Sezgin Akcay, Betul Ilkay, Gunay, Betul Onal, Kardes, Esra, Unlu, Cihan, Ergin, Ahmet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 02-11-2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Area Under Curve; Axial Length, Eye - pathology; Child; Female; FLV; ganglion cell complex; GLV; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; myopia; Myopia - diagnostic imaging; Myopia - pathology; Myopia, Degenerative - pathology; Nerve Fibers - physiology; Retinal Ganglion Cells - pathology; retinal nerve fiber layer; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods; Young Adult; GLV; myopia; FLV; ganglion cell complex; retinal nerve fiber layer
• ISSN: 0882-0538; 1744-5205
• DOI: 10.3109/08820538.2016.1170157

Purpose: To assess the effect of low, moderate, and high myopia on the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and Ganglion cell complex (GCC) measured by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) in non-glaucomatous subjects. Methods: The subjects were divided into three groups: low (n = 81, 35.6%), moderate (n = 79, 34.8%), and highly myopic eyes (n = 67, 29.5%). The RNFL thickness profile, including the average, superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal quadrant and each of the eight directional thicknesses, was measured. GCC parameters, including the average, superior, and inferior values, the focal loss volume (FLV), and the global loss volume (GLV), were measured. The correlation between the OCT measurements and the axial length was evaluated. Results: The average, superior, inferior, and nasal RNFL thicknesses of low and moderate myopic eyes were found to be significantly higher than those of highly myopic eyes. The temporal RNFL thicknesses were not different among the three groups. The average, superior, and inferior ganglion cell complex values of low and moderate myopic eyes were significantly higher than those of highly myopic eyes. The FLV and GLV of low and moderate myopic eyes were significantly higher than those of highly myopic eyes (p = 0.001 for all). In the moderate and high myopia groups, the average RNFL thickness and GCC thickness were both negatively correlated with the axial length. Conclusion: Highly myopic subjects tend to have thinner RNFL and GCC thicknesses than subjects with low and moderate myopia.