1991 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Parameters associated with vulnerability of nerve fibers to glaucomatous damage.
| Project/Area Number |
02454403
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Ophthalmology
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
CHIHARA Etsuo Kyoto Univ. Medicine Assistant Professor, 医学部, 講師 (20111958)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
大平 明弘 京都大学, 医学部, 助手 (00169054)
OKINAMI Satoshi Saga Medical School Medicine Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (70089100)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1990 – 1991
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| Keywords | Glaucoma / Optic disc / Visual field / Retinal nerve fiber layer defect / 3-dimensional image analysis / Scanning laser Ophthalmoscope / Cotton wool spot / Axonal transport |
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| Research Abstract |
Glaucoma is one of the most important disease which cause blindness in Japan. The intraocular pressure is one of the most important parameter for the nerve loss. However, the degree of the nerve loss varies from patient to patient. This variable degree of vulnerability to glaucomatous damage is an enigma for ophthalmologist, even though which is important for clinical practice. It was our clinical impression that topographic variation of the optic disc is a factor for this variable susceptibility of nerve fiber to glaucomatous damage. When the optic disc was tilted or cyclotorted, inferior retinal nerve fiber layer was more easily affected than the superior one. Small size of the disc correlated significantly with multiple retinal nerve fiber layer defect (ref. 3), and large size of the disc correlated significantly with vulnerable papillo-macular bundle defect (ref. 4). On the other hand, presence of intrapapillary vessels (especially presence of retinal artery)correlated significantly with preservation of nerve fibers against glaucomatous nerve loss (ref. 2).
Assessment of the nerve fiber loss may be difficult by conventional photographs or ophthalmoscope. Thus, we conducted studies about new methodology usmng 3-dimensional image analysis (ref. 1), and Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (ref. 5, 6). These methodologies were better in assessing or understanding the glaucomatous nerve fiber loss in clinical practice. In conclusion, macroscopic variation of the optic disc is an important parameter which affect vulnerability of nerve fiber to glaucomatous damage. A new methodology is of value in assessing the degree of glaucomatous nerve damage in clinical practice.
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