Association between Optic Nerve Head Microcirculation and Macular Ganglion Cell Complex Thickness in Eyes with Untreated Normal Tension Glaucoma and a Hemifield Defect

Purpose. We evaluated the association between optic nerve head (ONH) microcirculation and macular ganglion cell complex (mGCC) thickness in patients with untreated normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and a hemifield defect. Methods. The medical records of 47 patients with untreated NTG were retrospectively reviewed. Laser speckle flowgraphy was used to obtain mean blur rate (MBR), a relative measure of blood flow. Average total deviation (TD), mGCC, and the circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness were also analyzed. Results. All parameters corresponding to the defective hemifield were significantly lower than those corresponding to the normal hemifield. In the defective hemifield, MBR was correlated with TD, mGCC, and cpRNFL thickness. In the normal hemifield, MBR was only correlated with mGCC thickness, and multiple regression analysis showed that mGCC thickness was a significant contributing factor of the MBR. Conclusion. MBR was well correlated with mGCC thickness in eyes with untreated NTG and a hemifield defect. In the normal hemifield, mGCC thickness was a contributing factor of the MBR indicating that ONH circulatory dysfunction may be associated with retinal structural changes in the early stages of glaucoma. A reduction in ONH microcirculation may be an early indicator of the presence and progression of glaucoma.

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