Macular thickness measurements with frequency domain-OCT for quantification of axonal loss in chronic papilledema from pseudotumor cerebri syndrome.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the ability of frequency domain-optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT)-measured macular thickness parameters to differentiate between eyes with resolved chronic papilledema and healthy eyes and to evaluate the correlation between FD-OCT measures and visual field (VF) loss on standard automated perimetry (SAP).

METHODS

Fifty-two eyes from 29 patients suffering from pseudotumor cerebri syndrome (PTC) and 62 eyes from 31 normal controls underwent FD-OCT scanning and ophthalmic evaluation including VF with SAP. All patients had previously been submitted to treatment of PTC and had clinically resolved papilledema and stable VF for at least 6 months before the study. Macular and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements were determined for both groups. Comparisons were made using Generalized Estimated Equations. Correlations between FD-OCT and VF measurements were verified.

RESULTS

In eyes with resolved papilledema, the macular thickness parameters corresponding to the inner and outer superior, temporal, inferior and nasal segments, average macular thickness and most RNFL thickness measurements were significantly reduced when compared with controls. The discrimination ability was similar for macular thickness measurements and RNFL thickness measurements. Both sets of OCT measurements correlated well with VF sensitivity loss.

CONCLUSIONS

Eyes with resolved chronic papilledema show a significant reduction in macular thickness, which is well correlated with the severity of VF loss. Macular thickness measurements can potentially be used to estimate and monitor the amount of ganglion cell loss in eyes with papilledema from patients with PTC.