Influence of Angular Width and Peripapillary Position of Localized Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Defects on Their Detection by Time-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: To investigate the influence of angular width and peripapillary position of localized retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects on their detection by the time-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Fast RNFL Stratus OCT scans were obtained from 186 eyes of 186 newly detected glaucoma patients with only a single, localized RNFL defect in either eye. The RNFL defects were divided into subgroups according to their angular width at 15 degrees intervals and superior or inferior position. In the sector average graph of OCT results, abnormal clock-hour sectors were evaluated at P < 5%. Results: Among 154 eyes included in the final data analysis, mean angular width of localized RNFL defects was 21.82 +/- 10.38 degrees, and 108 eyes (70.1%) had an inferiorly located RNFL defect. Localized RNFL defects with an angular width interval of 30 degrees to 45 degrees were more frequently detected by Stratus OCT than those with an angular width of < 15 degrees (odds ratio = 30.32, P = 0.001). Inferior RNFL defects were not detected more frequently by Stratus OCT than superior RNFL defects (odds ratio = 1.58, P = 0.24). Conclusions: Only the angular width of localized RNFL defects had a significant influence on the sensitivity of the time-domain OCT. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2011;55:115-122 (C) Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2011