Optic Nerve Disc in Short-sighted Children with Elevated Intraocular Pressure

Overview

The optic nerve disc of shortsighted children with elevated intraocular pressurewas investigated to achieve early assessment of glaucoma and to detect signswhich differentiate changes in the disc caused by shortsightedness from changescaused by glaucoma. The authors examined 16 eyes of 8 shortsighted children withelevated intraocular pressure. In addition to the basic ophthalmological exami-nation they made a digital analysis of the optic nerve disc incl. planimetricevaluation of the dimensions of the disc, excavation and the neuroretinal rim. Intwo patients despite the higher intraocular pressure the area of the rim wassupraliminal. In three patients the narrower area of the reuroretinal rim increasedthe probability of glaucoma In two patients with anisometropia on the eye withgreater myopia the intraocular pressure was higher and the neuroretinal rimnarrower as compared with the other eye. In one patient the area of the rim wasvery narrow and the diagnosis of glaucoma was confirmed also by arcuate scotomain the lower part of the visual field corresponding to the narrow rim on top.

Key words:
shortsightedness, glaucoma, optic nerve disc, neuroretinal rim