Glaucoma Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Glaucoma, including details on cataracts, surgery, treatment, blindness.

Optic disk size in chronic glaucoma: the Beijing eye study.

Jonas JB, Xu L, Zhang L, Wang Y, Wang Y

Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Jost.Jonas@augen.ma.uni-heidelberg.de

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether eyes with chronic glaucoma have a larger or smaller optic disk than normal eyes. DESIGN: Population-based, cross-sectional cohort study. METHODS: The study included 4439 subjects out of 5324 subjects invited to participate with an age of 40+ years. Color optic disk photographs (45 degrees ) were morphometrically examined. RESULTS: After exclusion of aphakic eyes, pseudophakic eyes, and highly myopic eyes, data of 3989 subjects entered the statistical analysis. The mean optic disk area did not vary significantly (P > .05) between the nonglaucomatous group (2.61 +/- 0.50 mm(2)), eyes with glaucomatous appearance of the optic disk (2.69 +/- 0.63 mm(2)), eyes with glaucomatous optic disks and visual field defects (2.66 +/- 0.70 mm(2)), and eyes with elevated intraocular pressure (2.63 +/- 0.49 mm(2)). CONCLUSIONS: In adult Chinese, optic disk size may not markedly differ between normal eyes and eyes with chronic glaucoma.

Published 3 July 2006 in Am J Ophthalmol, 142(1): 168-70.
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