Increase of neuroretinal rim area after surgical intraocular pressure reduction.

The Optic Nerve Head Analyzer was used to measure the optic disc structure of 18 eyes (13 adult glaucoma patients) before and after surgical intraocular pressure reduction. Neuroretinal rim area markedly increased (from +0.15 mm2 to +0.45 mm2) in eight eyes, but changed either very little (less than +/- 0.1 mm2) or not at all in the remaining 10 eyes. The mean increase was from 0.75 +/- 0.26 mm2 to 0.92 +/- 0.36 mm2. The increased neuroretinal rim area found at this time remained in all eyes reexamined 1 to 3 years after surgery. Our data support previous findings that glaucomatous disc cupping may be reversed even in adult eyes, perhaps as the result of adequate pressure reduction.