The analysis of RNFL thickness with disc OCT of Traumatic optic neuropathy

Heebee Ahn

Purpose: To report the change of retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) thickness measured with optical coherence tomography(OCT) following acute traumatic optic neuropathy.

Methods: 28 patients with unilateral visual loss after periorbital or head trauma was visited and diagnosed with traumatic optic neuropathy during Feb. 2008 to Dec. 2009. They were evaluated about the progressive axonal change of RNFL thickness using disc OCT. 11 cases of 28 patients checked serial disc OCT after acute trauma and RNFL thickness were obtained

Results: The mean age of 11 patients was 43.03 ± 19.35 years and RNFL thickness measured using OCT were checked every two weeks for six weeks and on the 12th week, 6th month, 12th month, 24th month after acute periorbital or head trauma.
The mean RNFL thickness of at the second week after trauma was 96.02 ± 5.93 μm and reduced sequentially over the 6 months and was 50.61 ± 5.71 μm. The reduction rate of RNFL thickness was greatest between 6 and 12 week after trauma and it became stable at 6th month after trauma. The thickness was decreased faster on superior and inferior portion of disc than other area,

Conclusion: With this study, we found that RNFL thickness decreased sequentially until 6 month, mainly between 6 and 12 weeks after trauma in traumatic optic neuropathy.