The associations of optic disc hemorrhage with retinal nerve fiber layer defect and peripapillary atrophy in normal-tension glaucoma

Objective: The purpose of the study is to elucidate a topographic correlation between optic disc hemorrhages and retinal nerve fiber layer defects as well as peripapillary atrophy in normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Design: The authors prospectively studied the relation between the precise locations of disc hemorrhages and retinal nerve fiber layer defects in the first part of the study. The authors also compared morphometrically the peripapillary atrophy and the optic disc in eyes with disc hemorrhage with eyes without a history of disc hemorrhage in age-matched patients in the second part of the study. Participants: In part 1, 42 patients with NTG (male/female = 11/31; age, 56.8 +/- 14.2 years) in whom new disc hemorrhages developed were enrolled. In part 2, 51 randomly selected age-matched patients with NTG without a history of disc hemorrhage (male/female = 16/35; age, 55.7 +/- 12.5) were examined. Main Outcome Measure: In part 1, retinal nerve fiber layer defects were observed by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy using an argon-blue laser. In part 2, the area, angular extent, and radial extent of zone beta of peripapillary atrophy and the structural parameters of optic disc were measured by scanning laser tomography using a diode laser. Results: in part 1, the authors detected 64 disc hemorrhages in 48 eyes of 42 patients; retinal nerve fiber layer defects were shown in 47 (97.9%) of 48 eyes by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. Of 64 disc hemorrhages, 51 (79.7%) coincided with retinal nerve fiber layer defects in location. These 51 hemorrhages were present on the border (41.2%) or adjacent to the border (58.8%) between the retinal nerve fiber layer defect and the apparently healthy-looking retinal nerve fiber layer. In part 2, the prevalence, area, angular extent of zone beta, and ratio of zone beta area to disc area were significantly greater in the disc hemorrhage group than in the nonhemorrhage group, even though there were no significant differences in disc parameters between the two groups. Conclusions: Disc hemorrhage is associated closely with retinal nerve fiber layer defect in location and the size of peripapillary atrophy in NTG.