Association of Optic Nerve Head Prelaminar Schisis With Glaucoma

Peripapillary Retinoschisis in Glaucoma: A Systematic Review

PRCIS

Peripapillary retinoschisis (PPRS) may bias optical coherence tomography's (OCT) monitoring of glaucoma progression. Its impact on glaucoma still remains uncertain. Only 2 out of the 10 included studies illustrated a correlation between PPRS and glaucoma progression.

OBJECTIVES

The frequent use of OCT increased the detection of PPRS, which poses challenges in the follow-up of patients with glaucoma. This systematic review aims to summarize the literature regarding PPRS in glaucoma, exploring its prevalence, impact on disease, and clinical management implications.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus with tailored search queries for each platform. All studies had to report PPRS in patients with glaucoma. Exclusion criteria included studies with <10 eyes, studies focusing on schisis outside the disc area, with concomitant retinal or optic nerve lesions, with animals, reviews, studies written in non-English language, and congress abstracts.

RESULTS

Ten studies were included, of which 7 were case-control, one was a cohort study, and 2 were case series.Six studies showed that PPRS often overlapped preexisting retinal nerve fiber layer defects. One study reported that the de novo development of PPRS was more frequent in eyes with glaucoma progression than in eyes without progression.Visual field findings were inconsistent, with just one study (out of 6) showing that patients with glaucoma with PPRS experienced faster visual field deterioration than those without it. Overall, solely 2 studies (out of 7) associated PPRS with faster glaucoma progression.

CONCLUSIONS

PPRS biases OCT analysis in glaucoma. Caution is needed against overestimation of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness when PPRS develops and misinterpretation of its resolution as rapid progression. PPRS' exact impact on glaucoma progression remains unclear.

Effects of Deep Optic Nerve Head Structures on Bruch's Membrane Opening- Minimum Rim Width and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer

PURPOSE

To explore the effects of deep optic nerve head (ONH) structures on Bruch's membrane opening (BMO)-minimum rim width (MRW) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (pRNFLT) in healthy eyes.

DESIGN

Prospective cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Two hundred five healthy eyes of 141 subjects (mean ± standard deviation of age and axial length (AXL): 46.9 ± 10.0 years and 24.79 ± 1.15 mm) were enrolled. Best fit multivariable linear mixed models identified factors associated with BMO-MRW and pRNFLT. Explanatory variables included age, gender, AXL, BMO and anterior scleral canal opening (ASCO) area and ovality, magnitude of BMO and ASCO shift, peripapillary choroidal thickness, lamina cribrosa (LC) parameters, prelaminar thickness, and peripapillary scleral (PPS) angle.

RESULTS

Thinner BMO-MRW was associated with older age, smaller ASCO/BMO offset magnitude, larger BMO area, thinner prelaminar thickness, deeper LC, and thinner pRNFLT (P = .011, <.001, .004, <.001, <.001, <.001 respectively). Thinner pRNFLT was associated with shorter AXL, smaller ASCO area, a more posteriorly bowed PPS, shallower LC and thinner BMO-MRW. (P = .030, .002, .035, .012, <.001 respectively) CONCLUSIONS: BMO-MRW and pRNFLT were influenced by several deep ONH structures such as BMO and ASCO position shift, BMO or ASCO area, prelaminar thickness, PPS bowing and LC depth in addition to patient characteristics such as age and AXL. The degree and/or direction of associations varied between deep ONH structures and BMO-MRW or pRNFLT. Despite both BMO-MRW and pRNFLT being surrogate parameters for RGC loss, a complex relationship with ONH deep-layer morphology was indicated.

The mechanical theory of glaucoma in terms of prelaminar, laminar, and postlaminar factors

The mechanical theory is one of the oldest concepts regarding the development of glaucomatous neural degeneration. However, after a prolonged period of relative monopoly among the various theories explaining the pathogenesis of glaucoma, this concept gradually faded away from discourse. Several developments in the recent past have rekindled interest in the mechanical theory of glaucoma. Now we know a lot more about the biomechanics of the eye, prelaminar changes, mechanisms of retinal ganglion cell death, biomechanical features of the optic nerve head and sclera, extracellular matrix composition and its role, astrocytic changes, axoplasmic flow, and postlaminar factors such as translaminar pressure difference. These factors and others can be categorized into prelaminar, laminar, and postlaminar elements. The objective of this review was to present a concise analysis of these recent developments. The literature search for this narrative review was performed through databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clinical Key.

Association of Bergmeister Papilla and Deep Optic Nerve Head Structures With Prelaminar Schisis of Normal and Glaucomatous Eyes

PURPOSE

To investigate factors associated with the severity of prelaminar schisis (PLS) in heathy subjects and glaucoma patients.

DESIGN

Prospective cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A total of 217 eyes of 217 subjects (110 normal eyes and 107 open angle glaucoma eyes) were studied. Frequency and severity of PLS were compared between normal and glaucomatous eyes. Multivariate logistic models were used to assess factors associated with the severity of PLS. Factors considered were age, axial length, glaucomatous damage indices, Bruch membrane opening (BMO) and anterior scleral canal opening parameters, tractional forces (posterior vitreous staging and presence of Bergmeister papilla), circumpapillary choroidal thickness, lamina cribrosa (LC) parameters, and peripapillary scleral (PPS) angle.

RESULTS

The frequency of PLS was 70.9% in normal eyes and 72.0% in glaucomatous eyes. There was no difference in frequency and severity between the groups. The presence of Bergmeister papilla was the strongest predictor of a more severe PLS in both normal and glaucomatous eyes (odds ratio [OR] + 9.78, 12.5; both P < .001). A larger PPS angle in normal eyes (OR = 1.19; P = .003) and a larger BMO area and a deeper LC depth in glaucomatous eyes (OR = 1.08, 1.05; both P = .038) were associated with severity of PLS.

CONCLUSIONS

The severity of PLS was strongly associated with the presence of Bergmeister papilla, suggesting a traction-related phenomenon. Correlation of PLS severity with larger BMO area and deeper LC depth, which are optic nerve head structures associated with glaucoma, suggested its possible relationship with glaucomatous damage.

Optic nerve cavitations in glaucoma suspect and glaucoma patients

Purpose

Glaucoma is associated with structural changes of the optic nerve head such as deformation, lamina cribosa defects, prelaminar schisis, and peripapillary retinal schisis. We describe optic nerve cavitations that were detected by routine spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Observations

OCT imaging showed cavitations in 5 eyes of 4 patients with an initial diagnosis of glaucoma or glaucoma suspect. The cavitations were seen as hyporeflective spaces that are sharply delineated from surrounding tissue. They were centered inferonasally, anterior to the lamina cribosa, and at least partially within the Bruch's membrane opening (BMO). They extended from 3 to 6 clock hours.

Conclusion

AND IMPORTANCE: We describe a new OCT finding in patients with a diagnosis of glaucoma and glaucoma suspect. While previous reports describe cavitations in the choroid in patients with pathological myopia, our patients had minimal refractive error and the cavitations were located within the optic nerve. We will examine these patients over time to determine the impact of this finding on longitudinal changes in structure and function.

A minimal model of elastic instabilities in biological filament bundles

We present a model of a system of elastic fibres which exhibits complex, coupled, nonlinear deformations via a connecting elastic spring network. This model can capture physically observed deformations such as global buckling, pinching and internal collapse. We explore the transitions between these deformation modes numerically, using an energy minimization approach, highlighting how supported environments, or stiff outer sheath structures, favour internal structural collapse over global deformation. We then derive a novel analytic buckling criterion for the internal collapse of the system, a mode of structural collapse pertinent in many biological filament bundles such as the optic nerve bundle and microtubule bundles involved in cell abscission.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Teleopthalmology Application for Diagnosis of Diabetics Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of blindness for people who have diabetes in the world. However, early detection of this disease can essentially decrease its effects on the patient. The recent breakthroughs in technologies, including the use of smart health systems based on Artificial intelligence, IoT and Blockchain are trying to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy. In this study, we presented an AI-based smart teleopthalmology application for diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. The app has the ability to facilitate the analyses of eye fundus images via deep learning from the Kaggle database using Tensor Flow mathematical library. The app would be useful in promoting mHealth and timely treatment of diabetic retinopathy by clinicians. With the AI-based application presented in this paper, patients can easily get supports and physicians and researchers can also mine or predict data on diabetic retinopathy and reports generated could assist doctors to determine the level of severity of the disease among the people.

Structural Abnormalities in the Papillary and Peripapillary Areas and Corresponding Visual Field Defects in Eyes With Pathologic Myopia

Purpose

To identify structural abnormalities in the papillary and peripapillary area in eyes with pathologic myopia (PM) and normal IOP and to determine their relationship to visual field (VF) defects.

Methods

One hundred eight eyes of 70 patients with PM were retrospectively studied. The disc-centered swept source optical coherence tomographic images and the Goldmann VF recorded within 1 year of the optical coherence tomographic examination were analyzed. Four structural abnormalities were identified: lamina cribrosa (LC) defects, ridge protrusions, intrachoroidal cavitations (ICC), and prelaminar schisis. The correspondence of the VF defects with the structural abnormalities was assessed.

Results

The mean age, axial length, and optic disc area of the 108 eyes were 58.7 ± 10.0 years, 31.1 ± 2.4 mm, and 4.7 ± 2.2 mm2, respectively. Eighty-five of the 108 eyes (78.7%) had at least one abnormality and 49.4% (42/85) had two or more abnormalities. LC defects, ridge protrusions, ICC, and prelaminar schisis were detected in 47.2%, 33.3%, 21.3%, and 30.6% of the eyes, respectively. VF defects at the corresponding areas of these structural abnormalities were seen in 63% of the eyes with LC defects, 39% of the eyes with ridge protrusions, and 21% of the eyes with ICC.

Conclusions

Four kinds of structural abnormalities with corresponding VF defects are commonly observed in the papillary and peripapillary region of eyes with PM. The presence of these abnormalities suggests a possibility of functional damage.

Clinical Features of Advanced Glaucoma With Optic Nerve Head Prelaminar Schisis

PURPOSE

To investigate the clinical characteristics of optic nerve head (ONH) prelaminar schisis in eyes with advanced glaucoma.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

One hundred sixteen eyes with advanced glaucoma (30-2 mean deviation <-12 dB) were included. ONH prelaminar schisis was identified using the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography independently by 2 evaluators and only eyes that reached consensus for the presence of ONH prelaminar schisis were included. Bruch membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW), thickness and depth of lamina cribrosa (LC), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, macular thickness (total, RNFL, ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer), and peripapillary and subfoveal choroidal thickness were additionally obtained. Clinical characteristics were compared between the 2 groups based on the presence of ONH prelaminar schisis.

RESULTS

ONH prelaminar schisis was identified in 48 of 116 eyes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that short axial length, thin and deep LC, and thick macula were associated with the presence of ONH prelaminar schisis. When the structure-function relationships were determined, macular structural parameters tended to have a better relationship with functional parameters than the BMO-MRW and peripapillary RNFL thickness parameters in eyes with ONH prelaminar schisis.

CONCLUSIONS

The ONH prelaminar schisis was associated with thin and deep LC, short axial length, and generally thick macula. In patients with this features, the macular measurements, rather than peripapillary or ONH measurements, better predict the functional status of the eye. Our findings may have significant clinical implications for management of advanced glaucoma eyes with and without ONH prelaminar schisis.