Biometry of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness by NFA

The nerve fiber birefringence imaged by the scanning laser polarimetry ophthalmoscope per-mits the nerve fiber laser to be distinguished from the rest of the retina. The Nerve fiber Analyzer(LDT,Inc) resolves the nerve fiber layer thickness to a reproducibility of 10um. To evaluate the direct measurements of the retinal nerve fiber layer in normal glaucoma eyes, I have used the NFA. Retardation is higher in 15 normal subject than 75 glaucoma suspect & glaucome eyes, thickness of NTG eyes are significantly(p<0.05) less than those of POAG. With these quantitative measurements, it may be possible to monitor glaucomatous progression by detecting the changes and damage of nerve fiber layer.

However, it may requeire to eliminate spurious measurememnt in areas of peripapillary atrophy, and reduce operator input in image acquisition(focus, patient alignment and eveness of illumi-nation).