Nerve fibre layer changes can be detected using a modified HD-OCT scan technique

Differences in nerve fibre layer (NFL) in the macular area can be easily detected using a modified optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning technique, stated a study featured in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Dr Chan Kee Park et al., Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea, conducted a study on 40 healthy volunteers without optic nerve or retinal diseases, 37 diabetic patients with no diabetic retinopathy (NDR) and 89 patients with diabetic retinopathy.

All patients had their NFL thickness measured around the optic disc using Cirrus HD-OCT. The optic disc scanning technique was used to determine the NFL thickness at the macula.

All groups presented with different NFL thicknesses around the optic disc and a difference in mean, superior and inferior peripapillary NFL thickness. Macular NFL thickness of the superior sector significantly differed between the groups- namely the control and NDR group.

NFL thickness difference was initially detected in the superior macular region and significantly differed between the NDR group and the control.