Detection of Early Glaucomatous Damage in Pseudo Exfoliation Syndrome by Assessment of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness

PURPOSE: To detect early glaucomatous changes in pseudo exfoliative patients with normal intraocular pressure (IOP), visual field and optic nerve head appearance; by measuring retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness using optical coherence tomography (OCT). DESIGN: A prospective observational case-control study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty non-glaucomatous (normal IOP, fundus and visual field) pseudo exfoliative patients and 20 age matched healthy control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The RNFL thickness (global and four quadrants) was assessed using combined imaging system OTI (OCT/SLO) and compared with age matched normal control subjects. RESULTS: The RNFL in patients with pseudo exfoliation syndrome (PXS) was significantly thinner in all quadrants except the nasal quadrant compared to the control group (p less than 0.05). CONCLUSION: Measurement of RNFL thickness by OCT is useful in detecting early RNFL damage which in turn provides clinically relevant information in detecting early glaucomatous changes in pseudo exfoliative patients.