Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness evaluation using optical coherence tomography in eyes with optic disc hemorrhage

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between disc hemorrhage and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: RNFL thicknesses were measured using optical coherence tomography at the location of disc hemorrhage, at the superior or inferior symmetrical area of the same eyes, and at equivalent locations in contralateral eyes without disc hemorrhage. RNFL thicknesses were compared using the paired-sample t test. For recurrent hemorrhages, the correlation between the number of recurrences and RNFL thickness was examined using Kendall's tau-b method. RESULTS: Thirty-two disc hemorrhages were found in 32 eyes with normal tension or primary open-angle glaucoma. RNFL thicknesses in areas with disc hemorrhage were thinner than those in superior or inferior symmetrical locations in the same eyes (81.7 +/- 32.9 vs 100.7 +/- 34.5 microns, P = .005), but were not different from those in equivalent locations in contralateral eyes (92.8 +/- 31.7 microns, P = .092). Number of recurrent hemorrhages and RNFL thicknesses at sites of recurrent hemorrhages tended to show a negative correlation (correlation coefficient = -0.260, P = .079). CONCLUSIONS: Disc hemorrhage is associated with RNFL thinning measured by optical coherence tomography, and a negative correlation was found between recurrent hemorrhages and RNFL thickness.