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Effects of Refractive Status and Axial Length of the Eye on Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness Measured by OCT

Received: 27 September 2020     Accepted: 12 October 2020     Published: 16 December 2020
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Abstract

Background: Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness is an important indicator in diagnosis and monitoring of optic disc diseases. RNFL thickness is affected by many factors such as race and age. Refractive errors are the most common ocular problem affecting all age groups, and affect ocular structures such as retina and optic nerve. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive instrument that provides accurate measurements of RNFL thickness and detects early structural changes. This technique is safe, repeatable and quick. Objective: To evaluate the influence of refractive status and axial length of the eye on retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness in emmetropics, myopics and hyperopics. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, included 192 subjects (384 eyes) aged 18 to 30 years, who were divided into 3 main groups based on postcycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE), the subjects were also divided into groups based on their axial length (AXL). Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness was measured by OCT, axial length was measured by ultrasound A scan. Results: Thicknesses of Average RNFL, (Superior Temporal, Superior Nasal, Inferior Nasal, Nasal) sectors decreased with myopia and increased with hyperopia and this was statistically significant (p=0.0001), thicknesses also decreased with increasing of axial length and this was statistically significant (ST, SN, IN P-value =0.0001, N P-value =0.02, Avg. P-value =0.001). Thicknesses of (Temporal, Inferior Temporal) sectors decreased with hyperopia and increased with myopia and this was statistically significant (T P-value =0.0001, IT P-value=0.004), thicknesses also decreased with decreasing of axial length and this was statistically significant (T P-value=0.03, IT P-value= 0.001). Conclusion: Refractive status and axial length affect RNFL thickness, so they should be considered in mind before making any ocular diagnosis in which the RNFL is a diagnostic criteria.

Published in International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences (Volume 5, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13
Page(s) 101-106
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Spherical Equivalent (SE), Axial Length (AXL), Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer (RNFL), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

References
[1] Birch EE, O’Connor AR. Preterm birth and visual development. Semin Neonatol. 2001; 6: 487–497.
[2] Alasil T, Wang K, Keane PA, et al. Analysis of normal retinal nerve fiber layer thickness by age, sex, and race using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. J Glaucoma. 2013; 22: 532–541.
[3] Tariq YM, Pai A, Li H, et al. Association of birth parameters with OCT measured macular and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011; 52: 1709–1715.
[4] Leung CK, Mohamed S, Leung KS, et al. Retinal nerve fiber layer measurements in myopia: an optical coherence tomography study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2006; 47: 5171–5176.
[5] Tong L, Chan YH, Gazzard G, et al. Heidelberg retinal tomography of optic disc and nerve fiber layer in Singapore children: variations with disc tilt and refractive error. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007; 48: 4939–4944.
[6] Sommer A, Katz J, Quigley HA, et al. Clinically detectable nerve fiber atrophy precedes the onset of glaucoma field loss. Arch Ophthalmol. 1991; 109: 77–83.
[7] Pascolini D, Mariotti SP. Global estimates of visual impairment: 2010. Br J Ophthalmol. 2012; 96 (5): 614e618.
[8] Hashemi H, Fotouhi A, et al. Global and regional estimates of prevalence of refractive errors: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Current Ophthalmology 30 (2018) 3e22.
[9] Mitchell P, Hourihan F, Sandbach J, et al. The relationship between glaucoma and myopia: the Blue Mountain Eye Study. Ophthalmology. 1999; 106: 2010–2015.
[10] Tay E, Seah SK, Chan SP, et al. Optic disk ovality as an index of tilt and its relationship to myopia and perimetry. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005; 139: 247–252.
[11] Nigwekar SH, Boramani P, Study of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL) by Optical Coherence Tomography in emmetropic, myopic and hypermetropic eyes in adult patients at Rural Tertiary Care Hospital. Indian Journal of Basic and Applied Medical Research; September 2018: Vol.-7, Issue- 4, P. 450-457.
[12] Yi zha, et al. Evaluation of myopia on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measured by Spectralis optical coherence tomography. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 14: 2017, 2716-2720.
[13] V. Sowmya et al. Effect of Refractive Status and Axial Length on Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness: An Analysis Using 3D OCT. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2015 Sep, Vol-9 (9): NC01-NC04.
[14] Öner V, et al. Effect of refractive status on peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness: a study by RTVue spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Br J Ophthalmol. 2013; 97: 75–79.
[15] Kausar A, et al. Effect of refractive errors/axial length on peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL) measured by Topcon SD-OCT. J Pak Med Assoc Vol. 68, No. 7, July 2018.
[16] Abhinav Dhami et al. The Correlation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Axial Length on Fourier Domain Optical Coherence Tomography. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2016 Apr, Vol-10 (4): NC15-NC17.
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  • APA Style

    Hanan Ibrahim, Yusuf Suleiman, Najwa Kordoghli. (2020). Effects of Refractive Status and Axial Length of the Eye on Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness Measured by OCT. International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 5(6), 101-106. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13

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    ACS Style

    Hanan Ibrahim; Yusuf Suleiman; Najwa Kordoghli. Effects of Refractive Status and Axial Length of the Eye on Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness Measured by OCT. Int. J. Psychol. Brain Sci. 2020, 5(6), 101-106. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13

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    AMA Style

    Hanan Ibrahim, Yusuf Suleiman, Najwa Kordoghli. Effects of Refractive Status and Axial Length of the Eye on Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness Measured by OCT. Int J Psychol Brain Sci. 2020;5(6):101-106. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13,
      author = {Hanan Ibrahim and Yusuf Suleiman and Najwa Kordoghli},
      title = {Effects of Refractive Status and Axial Length of the Eye on Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness Measured by OCT},
      journal = {International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences},
      volume = {5},
      number = {6},
      pages = {101-106},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpbs.20200506.13},
      abstract = {Background: Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness is an important indicator in diagnosis and monitoring of optic disc diseases. RNFL thickness is affected by many factors such as race and age. Refractive errors are the most common ocular problem affecting all age groups, and affect ocular structures such as retina and optic nerve. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive instrument that provides accurate measurements of RNFL thickness and detects early structural changes. This technique is safe, repeatable and quick. Objective:  To evaluate the influence of refractive status and axial length of the eye on retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness in emmetropics, myopics and hyperopics. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, included 192 subjects (384 eyes) aged 18 to 30 years, who were divided into 3 main groups based on postcycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE), the subjects were also divided into groups based on their axial length (AXL). Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness was measured by OCT, axial length was measured by ultrasound A scan. Results: Thicknesses of Average RNFL, (Superior Temporal, Superior Nasal, Inferior Nasal, Nasal) sectors decreased with myopia and increased with hyperopia and this was statistically significant (p=0.0001), thicknesses also decreased with increasing of axial length and this was statistically significant (ST, SN, IN P-value =0.0001, N P-value =0.02, Avg. P-value =0.001). Thicknesses of (Temporal, Inferior Temporal) sectors decreased with hyperopia and increased with myopia and this was statistically significant (T P-value =0.0001, IT P-value=0.004), thicknesses also decreased with decreasing of axial length and this was statistically significant (T P-value=0.03, IT P-value= 0.001). Conclusion: Refractive status and axial length affect RNFL thickness, so they should be considered in mind before making any ocular diagnosis in which the RNFL is a diagnostic criteria.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Effects of Refractive Status and Axial Length of the Eye on Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness Measured by OCT
    AU  - Hanan Ibrahim
    AU  - Yusuf Suleiman
    AU  - Najwa Kordoghli
    Y1  - 2020/12/16
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13
    T2  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
    JF  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
    JO  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
    SP  - 101
    EP  - 106
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1573
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20200506.13
    AB  - Background: Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness is an important indicator in diagnosis and monitoring of optic disc diseases. RNFL thickness is affected by many factors such as race and age. Refractive errors are the most common ocular problem affecting all age groups, and affect ocular structures such as retina and optic nerve. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive instrument that provides accurate measurements of RNFL thickness and detects early structural changes. This technique is safe, repeatable and quick. Objective:  To evaluate the influence of refractive status and axial length of the eye on retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness in emmetropics, myopics and hyperopics. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, included 192 subjects (384 eyes) aged 18 to 30 years, who were divided into 3 main groups based on postcycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE), the subjects were also divided into groups based on their axial length (AXL). Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness was measured by OCT, axial length was measured by ultrasound A scan. Results: Thicknesses of Average RNFL, (Superior Temporal, Superior Nasal, Inferior Nasal, Nasal) sectors decreased with myopia and increased with hyperopia and this was statistically significant (p=0.0001), thicknesses also decreased with increasing of axial length and this was statistically significant (ST, SN, IN P-value =0.0001, N P-value =0.02, Avg. P-value =0.001). Thicknesses of (Temporal, Inferior Temporal) sectors decreased with hyperopia and increased with myopia and this was statistically significant (T P-value =0.0001, IT P-value=0.004), thicknesses also decreased with decreasing of axial length and this was statistically significant (T P-value=0.03, IT P-value= 0.001). Conclusion: Refractive status and axial length affect RNFL thickness, so they should be considered in mind before making any ocular diagnosis in which the RNFL is a diagnostic criteria.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Ophthalmology Department, Tishreen Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria

  • Ophthalmology Department, Tishreen Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria

  • Ophthalmology Department, Tishreen Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria

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