Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer and Macular Thicknesses in Amblyopic Eyes of Myopic and Hyperopic Anisometropic Patients

1. Arzu, Taskiran Comez
2. Baris, Komur
3. Ilker, Eser

University of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart, School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Canakkale, Turkey

Purpose: To compare the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular thicknesses of the better-seeing eye and the amblyopic eye using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with myopic and hyperopic anisometropia.

Methods: Twenty-one myopic (6 male,15 female; mean age 25.7±8.9years (8-40 years)); 19 hyperopic (5 male,14 female; mean age 17.0 ±10.4years (8-43years)) anisometropic amblyopic subjects were recruited. RNFL and macular thicknesses, macular volume, axial length(AxL) and spherical equivalent (SE) values of both amblyopic and better-seeing eyes were compared. Mann-Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis.

Results: Mean RNFL thicknesses in amblyopic and better-seeing eyes of myopic subjects were 96.3±12.4 μm;100.6±13.5 μm(p=0.309) and mean macular thicknesses were 288.5±58.2 μm versus 293.5±67 μm (p=0.798); while mean R NFL thickness in amblyopic and better-seeing eyes of hyperopic subjects were 104.9±13.6 μm;106.3±16.8μm (p=0.772), and mean macular thicknesses 280.6±49.6 μm versus 282.7±33.3 μm (p=0.876), respectively.

Conclusion: The peripapillary RNFL and macular thicknesses were not significantly different between amblyopic and normal eyes of myopic and hyperopic anisometropic subjects. Further studies are warrented in examining the retinal histological and structural differences between amblyopic and normal eyes.