Optical Coherence Tomography Longitudinal Evaluation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Glaucoma

Abstract
Glaucoma is characterized by a combination of structural changes in the retina and optic nerve head (ONH) and functional perimetric damage. Previous studies1-10 have indicated that structural changes in patients with glaucoma, as detected by optic disc and/or nerve fiber layer assessment, precede functional changes detected by perimetry. In recent years, glaucoma imaging modalities were incorporated into the management of patients with glaucoma. These imaging modalities were designed to detect morphologic glaucomatous abnormalities, and they might improve the ability to detect longitudinal changes using quantitative measurements. Several cross-sectional studies11-25 have demonstrated the capability of these modalities to identify glaucomatous changes. Limited information, however, is available regarding their use for longitudinal glaucoma assessment.9