Computer densitometry of retinal nerve fibre atrophy. A pilot study.

Lack of nerve fibre layer opacity and a granular appearance of the retina are important funduscopic signs in optic atrophy. In this pilot study serially obtained fundus photographs from a case with developing optic atrophy where subjected to computer densitometry. A monotonic increase in local density variations was found during evolution of optic atrophy. The change in density variations closely followed the funduscopic change in nerve fibre layer opacity. This method makes it possible to detect and quantify diffuse atrophy of the retinal nerve fibre layer.