Location of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Defects in Open-angle Glaucoma and Associated Factors

• Published in: Korean journal of ophthalmology Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. 379 - 385
• Main Author: Kim, Han Ul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Ophthalmological Society 01.08.2019; 대한안과학회
• Subjects: Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glaucoma, Open-Angle - diagnosis; Glaucoma, Open-Angle - physiopathology; Humans; Intraocular Pressure - physiology; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Fibers - pathology; Original; Photography; Population Surveillance; Retinal Ganglion Cells - pathology; Retrospective Studies; Visual Fields - physiology; 안과학; Hypertension; Retinal nerve fiber layer defect; Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; Open-angle glaucoma
• ISSN: 1011-8942; 2092-9382; 2092-9382
• DOI: 10.3341/kjo.2018.0094

To investigate the location of retinal nerve fiber layer defects (RNFLDs) in open-angle glaucoma and the differences in systemic and ocular factors between superotemporal and inferotemporal RNFLDs. We performed a retrospective review of the 2008 to 2012 data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Subjects aged ≥19 years with an evaluable fundus photograph of at least one eye were enrolled, and open-angle glaucoma was diagnosed according to modified International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria. In subjects with open-angle glaucoma, locations of RNFLDs were evaluated, and systemic and ocular factors were compared between the bilateral superotemporal RNFLD group and bilateral inferotemporal RNFLD group. A total of 534 subjects had open-angle glaucoma with RNFLDs. The unilateral inferotemporal region (25.8%) was the most common location for RNFLDs, followed by the unilateral superotemporal region (24.4%). Multivariate analysis revealed that hypertension was more significantly associated ( = 0.048) with the bilateral superotemporal RNFLD group than with the bilateral inferotemporal RNFLD group. Superotemporal RNFLDs are more related to hypertension than are inferotemporal RNFLDs.