Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with exfoliation, exfoliative glaucoma, and primary open angle glaucoma

PURPOSE. To evaluate the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) profile of healthy controls, persons with exfoliation syndrome (XFS), and patients with exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). METHODS. One eye from each of 269 participants was analyzed. Fifty eyes were normal, 45 eyes had XFS, 89 eyes had POAG, and 89 had XFG. Glaucoma patients were divided according to the severity of the disease into mild and advanced groups. All participants underwent imaging with the GDx-VCC device. Measurements of the parameters TSNIT average, TSNIT SD, and nerve fiber indicator (NFI) were performed. Polarimetric RNFL thickness values were compared by means of Bonferroni-corrected t-tests. RESULTS. Regarding control and glaucoma groups, statistically significant differences were identified in all GDx parameters. RNFL thickness values of the control group differed significantly from the values of the XFS group. There was no statistically significant difference between RNFL thickness values for the mild POAG and mild XFG groups or for the advanced POAG and advanced XFG groups. CONCLUSIONS. Polarimetry-determined RNFL in eyes with XFS is thinner than that of healthy eyes. No differences in RNFL thickness were found when eyes with POAG and XFG of similar severity were compared. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2010; 20: 142-8)