Optic disc and retinal nerve fibre layer changes in parkinson's disease

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess optic nerve and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) changes in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and its correlation with disease duration and severity. Optic nerve parameters and RNFL thickness were measured in 24 PD patients and 25 age-gender-matched controls by Heidelberg Retinal Tomography II (Heidelberg Engineering, Dossenheim, Germany). Patients with visual acuity below 20/25 were excluded. The mean RNFL in the temporal sector was significantly thinner in the study group than the control group (p = 0.020). Additionally, disease severity and duration negatively correlated with optic disc parameters in some sectors. © 2013 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved.