To introduce the RNFL thickness slope (RNFL-S) as a novel biomarker for assessing local ganglion cell populations and its correlation with visual field sensitivity in early glaucoma.
Approach:
Study Design: A prospective cross-sectional study involving participants with early glaucoma and healthy controls, utilizing a polarisation-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) prototype.
Participants: Included 139 healthy and 50 glaucoma participants after screening and exclusion criteria were applied.
Biomarker Development: Developed RNFL-S measured along individual nerve fibre trajectories to capture focal glaucomatous damage.
Key Findings:
RNFL-S shows significant local correlation with visual field sensitivity in early glaucoma.
Conventional structural measures may overlook focal glaucomatous damage that RNFL-S can detect.
Interpretation:
RNFL-S may enhance the understanding of structure-function relationships in glaucoma, potentially improving early detection.
Limitations:
Study conducted in a single center, limiting generalizability.
Further research needed to validate RNFL-S as a clinical biomarker.
Conclusion:
RNFL-S could serve as a valuable tool for assessing localized damage in early glaucoma, warranting further investigation.
