Differences in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography between primary congenital glaucoma patients and healthy children

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in a population of children diagnosed with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Methods Cross-sectional study where 59 eyes from 59 children diagnosed with PCG and 87 eyes from 87 healthy children were evaluated by SD-OCT to measure the RNFL. The global average peripapillary RNFL thickness and sectional RNFL thickness were evaluated in both groups. Differences in global average and sectional thickness were analysed. Results Mean age in PCG group was 9.61±3.23 years old and in control groups was 8.47±2.99 years old (p=0.0516). There were statistically significant differences (p Conclusions SD-OCT is a promising tool for evaluating the eyes of children diagnosed with PCG. Future research should examine the test-retest variability of SD-OCT parameters and their ability to diagnose progression in these children.