PP327 : Are peripapillary RNFL thickness and vessel density measurements affected by disc hemorrhages?

Dr.Shruthi S.

Purpose: To study the effect of disc hemorrhages(DH) on the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and peripapillary vessel density (VD) measurements on OCT Angiography (OCTA).

Methods: In this prospective study, 12 glaucoma patients noted to have a DH underwent OCT and OCTA. These tests were repeated on disappearance of the DH. The effect of the DH on RNFL thickness and VD was studied using t test and repeated measures ANOVA.

Results:The mean interval between the scans was 4.26 ± 1.8 months. The mean RNFL thickness in the DH quadrant was 90.99 ± 23.13µ and after DH resolution was 92.15 ± 23.51µ (p=0.16). The mean VD in the DH sector was 53.6 ± 9.5% and after DH resolution was 52.8 ± 9.8%(p=0.56). Repeated measures ANOVA showed that the VD in the sector with the DH did not change even after disappearance of the DH, [F (1,9)=0.13, p=0.73].

Conclusions: DHs do not affect measurements of RNFL thickness as measured on OCT or OCTA-measured VD.