Correlation between glaucomatous hemifield scotomas and measurements of nerve fiber layer thickness using scanning laser polarimetry

Background: The purpose of the present study was to investigate wether a reduction of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in patients with hemifield scotoma can be measured with scanning laser polarimetry and wether regional RNFL parameters can be correlated with the corresponding visual field indices. Patients and methods: We included one eye from each of 40 normal subjects and one eye from each of 40 glaucoma patients. Automated perimetry was performed and the RNFL was analyzed. HMD values obtained by white-white (W/W) and blue-yellow (B/Y) perimetry failed to correlate significantly with most of the corresponding RNFL parameters obtained with the GDx. Significant correlations were only shown for the inferior HMD (W/W and B/Y) and the superior ratio, superior average, and deviation superior. Furthermore, we found a high correlation between differences of upper and lower GDx parameters and differences of upper and lower visual field indices of W/W and B/Y perimetry. Conclusions: Scanning laser polarimetry can detect differences in RNFL sectors in patients with functional hemifield differences and carries the potential to detect changes in RNFL thickness at an early stage. © Springer Medizin Verlag 2005.