Evaluation of the lamina cribrosa after topical latanoprost therapy in primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension

Purpose

To investigate that the changes of lamina cribrosa (LC) thickness and depth after latanoprost therapy in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT) patients.

Methods

In this single-center prospective cross-sectional study, 35 eyes from 35 patients with POAG or OHT (study group) and 26 age- and gender- matched healthy individuals (control group) were included. All participants were examined by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode for LC thickness and depth measurements at the first visit before latanoprost therapy and at visits after 1 (second visit) and 3 (third visit) months of latanoprost therapy.

Results

The mean LC thickness in both horizontal and vertical scans of the study group were thinner than the control group (p < 0.001, for both). During latanoprost therapy in the study group, the LC thickness values in horizontal scans significantly differed over the three visits, gradually increased (p < 0.05). There was significantly decrease in LC depth in horizontal scans between the first and third visits, and the second and third visits (p = 0.003 and p = 0.008, respectively). The gradual decrease in LC depth in vertical scans was observed at all visits, but the statistically significant difference was between the first and third visits only (p = 0.048).

Conclusion

POAG/OHT patients showed more LC thinning compared with healthy individuals. The significant increase in LC thickness and the significant decrease in LC depth were detected after IOP reduction therapy with latanoprost in ocular hypertensive/ glaucomatous eyes.