Evaluation of the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell complex thicknesses in patients with exfoliation syndrome

Abstract

Background/aim This study aimed to evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thicknesses using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in both unilateral and bilateral exfoliation syndrome (XFS) patients. Materials and methods Twenty-four patients with unilateral XFS, 20 patients with bilateral XFS, and 23 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Eyes with XFS were compared with both fellow eyes and age-matched control subject eyes in terms of mean and segmental RNFL thickness and minimum, mean, and segmental GCC thickness. Results In the bilateral XFS group, minimum GCC of the right eye (75.80 ± 11.6 µm) was significantly thinner compared with the right eyes of the control group (81.83 ± 6.6 µm) (P < 0.05). Also, superior RNFL was thinner in the right eye (106.90 ± 16.7 µm) compared with left eye (114.15 ± 18.1 µm) in the bilateral XFS group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in the unilateral XFS group were detected in GCC and RNFL analysis. Conclusion Minimum GCC value may be the first parameter affected in the conversion of XFS to exfoliative glaucoma followed by RNFL changes.