Evaluation of the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell complex thicknesses in patients with exfoliation syndrome

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thicknesses using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in both unilateral and bilateral exfoliation syndrome (XFS) patients

Materials and methods: Twenty-four patients with unilateral XFS, 20 patients with bilateral XFS, and 23 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Eyes with XFS were compared with both fellow eyes and age-matched control subject eyes in terms of mean and segmental RNFL thickness and minimum, mean, and segmental GCC thickness.

Results: In the bilateral XFS group, minimum GCC of the right eye (75.80 ± 11.6 μm) was significantly thinner compared with the right eyes of the control group (81.83 ± 6.6 μm) (P < 0.05). Also, superior RNFL was thinner in the right eye (106.90 ± 16.7 μm) compared with left eye (114.15 ± 18.1 μm) in the bilateral XFS group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in the unilateral XFS group were detected in GCC and RNFL analysis.

Conclusion: Minimum GCC value may be the first parameter affected in the conversion of XFS to exfoliative glaucoma followed by RNFL changes.