From Clinical Examination of the Optic Disc to Clinical Assessment of the Optic Nerve Head: A Paradigm Change

Abstract

Purpose To review and interpret optic nerve head (ONH) anatomy detected with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) pertaining to the clinical examination of the optic disc and propose that a paradigm change for clinical assessment of the ONH is necessary. Design Perspective. Methods Presently, the clinician evaluates neuroretinal rim health according to the appearance of the optic disc, the clinically visible surface of the ONH. Recent anatomic findings with SD-OCT have challenged the basis and accuracy of current rim evaluation. We demonstrate why incorporation of SD-OCT imaging of the ONH into the clinical examination of the disc is required. Results Disc margin based rim evaluation lacks a solid anatomic basis and results in variably inaccurate measurements for two reasons. First, the clinically visible disc margin is an unreliable outer border of rim tissue due to clinically and photographically invisible extensions of Bruch’s membrane. Second, rim tissue orientation is not considered in width measurements. We propose alternative anatomically and geometrically accurate SD-OCT based approaches for rim assessment that have enhanced detection of glaucoma. We also argue for new data acquisition and analysis strategies with SD-OCT that account for the large inter-individual variability in the angle between the fovea and ONH. Conclusions We propose a 4-point paradigm change for clinical assessment of the ONH that is anchored to the eye-specific anatomy and geometry of the ONH and fovea. Our approach is designed to enhance the accuracy and consistency of rim width, as well as peripapillary and macular intraretinal thickness measurements.