The Effect of Peripapillary Detachment on Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Measurement by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in High Myopia

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the repercussions of peripapillary detachment on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurements in patients with highly myopic eyes. Methods: A total of 244 highly myopic eyes underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination that included optical coherence tomography (OCT) to analyze the peripapillary retina and RNFL thickness. Based on the OCT findings, patients were grouped as follows: group A: eyes with a peripapillary intrachoroidal cavitation (PIC); group B: eyes with a peripapillary neurosensory retinal detachment (PNRD), and group C: eyes without a peripapillary detachment. Results: The OCT scans identified a peripapillary detachment in 42 eyes (17.21%). Out of these 42 eyes, 22 showed PIC (52.38%; group A) and 20 had a PNRD (47.62%; group B). The average overall RNFL thickness in groups A, B and C was 74.11 +/- 10.88, 88.26 +/- 25.72 and 72.75 +/- 16.24 mu m, respectively (ANOVA test, p = 0.00). Conclusion: Eyes with a PNRD had a significantly greater average RFNL thickness than those without peripapillary detachment in pathologic myopia due to a misidentification of the outer profile of the RFNL. This fact makes the interpretation of RNFL thickness in highly myopic eyes more challenging. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel