Pilot Study of Lamina Cribrosa Intensity Measurements in Glaucoma Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: To compare the lamina cribrosa (LC) intensity in glaucoma-suspect eyes and eyes with mild to moderate glaucoma using swept-source optical coherence tomography. Methods: Optic disc volume scans were collected using swept-source optical coherence tomography in 19 clinically defined glaucoma-suspect eyes and 29 eyes with mild to moderate glaucoma. LC intensity was measured using Image J software, and the resultant values were normalized using the retinal pigment epithelium and vitreous signal. Results: Mean age was 53.7 +/- 18.5 years in the glaucoma-suspect eyes and 63.0 +/- 16.1 years in the eyes with mild to moderate glaucoma (P = 0.161). Significant differences in LC intensity were observed between the 2 groups, with median LC intensity values of 0.96 and 0.86 units in the glaucoma-suspect and the mild to moderate glaucoma groups, respectively (P < 0.001). A weak positive correlation was found between mean deviation and normalized LC intensity (r = 0.344; P = 0.018). Conclusions: Intensity measurement of the LC is a potential novel parameter which warrants further study in the setting of glaucoma.