Evaluation of the damage of optic nerve after acute primary angle closure glaucoma

Objective To investigate the changes in thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and visual fields following the initial acute attack of acute primary angle closure glaucoma (APACG) within 1 year. Methods A prospective cohort study. 30 consecutively recruited patients with APACG were observed (the attacked eye was as the observed eye while the fellow eye as control). At 6 time points (after intraocular pressure controlled for 24 hour, 1 week, 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, 12 month), intraocular pressure (IOP), RNFL thickness and Humphrey perimeter were analyzed. Results Compared with the control group, the average RNFL thickness in the observed group were thicker at 24 hour and 1 week (P 0.05). The thickness of averaged RNFL was positively correlated with the MD (P <0.05). Conclusions The thickness of the RNFL in patients with APACG is diffusely increasing after the acute attack for the first time, which is gradually thinner with the time going. However,it is stable after IOP con-trolled for 6 months; Perimetric damaged is reversible at the 1 month after IOP controlled and there is no deterioration until the 1 year; For the optic nerve, the injury of morphology is consistent with the function. Key words: Acute primary angle-closure glaucoma; Retinal nerve fiber layer; Mean defect; Pattern standard deviation