Comparison between Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer and Ganglion Cell Complex Thickness with Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in Subjects with a Positive Family History and Without Family History

Purpose: Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a multifactorial optic neuropathy which is accompanied by a progressive reduction in retinal ganglion cell and visual field. Screening a high-risk group is a cost-effective method that reduces the number of cases of unknown glaucoma. Methods: The sample size of the study was 90 subjects including 45 controls (healthy subjects) and 45 study subjects (Positive for family history of POAG). All ophthalmic examinations, such as IOP, a slit lump examination,a standard automatic perimeter visual field (VF), a measurement of the central corneal thickness (CCT) with pentacam and the Peripapillary RNFL, macula Ganglion Cell Complex (GCC) thickness and central macula thickness (CMT) were measured by SD-OCT for all subjects. For statistical analysis, Chi-square tests were used to compare the studied groups. Significant p.value was considered as p.value <0/05. Results: there was no significant difference between IOP, CMT, CCT, IOP and GCC thickness in the two groups, but in study group the peripapillary RNFL average thickness and in the lower quadrant were less than the control group, peripapillary RNFL average thickness was 97.06 ± 8.14 μm versus 101.46 ± 11.69 μm with P.Vaue 0/041 and peripapillary RNFL thickness in the lower quadrant was 125.66 ± 15.54 μm versus 132.82 ± 15.38 μm with P.Vaue: 0.031, respectively. Conclusion: It seems that the thickness of the peripapillary RNFL, better than the macula GCC thickness, can identify at risk people with a family history of glaucoma. The definitive proof of which requires more studies with futuristic follow-up studies.