Evaluation of Factors Predicting Glaucoma Damage in Patients with Primary Open-angle Glaucoma

Purpose: To evaluate factors predicting glaucoma damage in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes. Methods: 20 POAG patients were examined in this retrospective study. The most affected eye was analyzed. Peripapillary (P) choroidal thickness (CT) and macular (M) CT were measured by Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography. Correlation between CT retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness (GCIPLT) and various other factors including mean deviation (MD), pattern standard deviation (PSD), mean superior and inferior hemifield sensitivity was also assessed by Pearson’s r correlation coefficients and linear regression model. Results: Superior and inferior nasal MCT and PCT were significantly correlated with MD (r = 0.509, r = 0.507, r = 0.577, respectively). MD was positively associated with mean GCIPLT (r = 0.517, p = 0.02) and each GCIPLT sector (p<0.05), except for the nasal sector. A positive relationship was found between RNFL thickness (mean and each sector) and MD (p<0.05). PSD was negatively correlated to both GCIPLT (r = - 0.695, p = 0.001) and RNFL thickness (p<0.05). Among mean PCT, mean MCT, RNFL thickness and mean GCIPLT, only RNFL thickness (β = 0.85, p = 0.011) and mean PCT (β = 0.521, p = 0.021) were predictive factors of MD in the linear regression model. Conclusions: RNFL thickness was the most predictive factor of MD, followed by mean PCT. RNFL thickness seems to be the most useful parameter to predict glaucoma damage in clinical practice.