Evaluation of peripapillary choroidal thickness in patients with normal-tension glaucoma

Background: To compare peripapillary choroidal thickness measurements between normal and normal-tension glaucoma eyes. Methods: Cross-sectional comparative study. 50 normal and 52 normal-tension glaucoma subjects were enrolled in the study. Peripapillary choroidal thickness was measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and enhanced depth imaging. After obtaining circular B-scans around the disc, choroidal thicknesses were calculated based on the exported segmentation values. Visual fields were measured using automated perimetry. Difference in peripapillary choroidal thickness between the normal subjects and the patients with normal-tension glaucoma was analyzed. Results: There were no significant differences in age, axial length, or refraction between the two groups. Peripapillary choroidal thickness was inversely correlated with age in both the normal (r = -0.287, P = 0.04) and normal and normal-tension glaucoma (r = -0.322, P = 0.02) groups. Peripapillary choroidal thickness of inferonasal (125 vs 148 mu m, P < 0.05), inferior (101 vs 122 mu m, P < 0.05), or inferotemporal (100 vs 127 mu m, P < 0.05) regions were significantly thinner in the normal-tension glaucoma group as compared to normal subjects. Superior visual hemifield defect was significantly worse than inferior visual hemifield defect in normal and normal-tension glaucoma patients. Conclusion: As compared to normal subjects, peripapillary choroidal thickness was significantly thinner in the normal and normal-tension glaucoma patients, at least in some locations.