Optic Nerve

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach to the sellar region yields an alternative to classical microsurgical approaches. Endoscopes provide images that differ from microscopic view. This study aimed to highlight surgical landmarks and their anatomical relationships for pituitary surgery through endoscopic perspective. Ten sides of five adult cadaveric heads with red-colored latex injected arteries were evaluated. Endoscopic dissections were performed and measurements were done in the sphenoid sinuses before and after the removal of bony structures in all the aspects. Endoscopic vision of the sellar region enabled a wide panoramic perspective and detailed inspection. The measurements, in general, indicated the variations in the bony structures and soft tissues. The width of the pituitary, which is the distance between the medial margins of the carotid prominences, was measured as 21 6 2.5 mm and the distance between the medial margin of the carotid prominences at the lower margin of the pituitary was 18 6 3.1 mm. After the bony structures were removed, further measurements were done. The width of the pituitary, which is the distance between the medial margins of the anterior curvature of the ICA, was measured as 23.2 6 3 mm, while the distance between the posterior curvature of the ICA was 19.7 6 4.9 mm. Endoscopic view provided superior detailed visualization of the close relationships between pituitary gland, internal carotid arteries, and optic nerves. This facilitated exact evaluation for variations, which could result in more effective and safe surgery. However, these variations again emphasize the necessity of preoperative radiological evaluation in each case. Clin. Anat. 21:627-632, 2008. V V C 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The intimate anatomical relationship between the orbit and the paranasal sinuses places the orbit and its contents at risk of harm from primary pathologic processes of the sinuses. In the absence of ophthalmic signs or symptoms, ophthalmologists are not routinely involved in the management of patients with sinus disease. Occasionally, some patients may develop ophthalmic complaints after surgical intervention. The orbit, optic nerve, extraocular muscles, and lacrimal drainage system are susceptible to injury during endoscopic sinus surgery. The risk of injury is related to the skill of the sinus surgeon, history of previous surgery, extent and severity of disease, and anatomic variation. Furthermore, recent advances in endoscopic sinus surgery, in particular the use of powered cutting instruments, has resulted in a novel mechanism of injury to the ocular structures.

Isolated bilateral optic neuropathy is an exceedingly rare presentation of perinuclear-antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (p-ANCA) vasculitis. We report one such case with MRI documentation of a compressive mechanism mediated by pachymeningitis. A 69-year-old woman had a 6-month history of progressive visual failure caused by bilateral optic neuropathy. Cranial MRI showed diffuse contrast enhancement of the dura mater extending to the perioptic sheaths bilaterally with encasement of the optic nerves. Extensive laboratory study showed increased levels of p-ANCA titres and autoimmune markers. Corticosteroid treatment improved both visual acuity and the neuroradiological signs of active pachymeningitis. In conclusion, our case demonstrates that bilateral optic neuropathy may be the presenting symptom of p-ANCAassociated pachymeningitis, whose causative role may be demonstrated by MRI.

Axoglial interactions underlie the clustering of ion channels and of cell adhesion molecules, regulate gene expression, and control cell survival. We report that Cnp1-null mice, lacking expression of the myelin protein cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (CNP), have disrupted axoglial interactions in the central nervous system (CNS). Nodal sodium channels (Nav) and paranodal adhesion proteins (Caspr) are initially clustered normally, but become progressively disorganized with age. These changes are characterized by mislocalized Caspr immunostaining, combined with a decrease of clustered Na þ channels, and occur before axonal degeneration and microglial invasion, both prominent in older Cnp1-null mice. We suggest that CNP is a glial protein required for maintaining the integrity of paranodes and that disrupted axoglial signaling at this site underlies progressive axonal degeneration, observed later in the CNS of Cnp1-null mice. '

The poorly developed visual system of the electric catfish was studied with silver-degeneration methods. Retinal projections were entirely contralaterat to the hypothalamic optic nucleus, the lateral geniculate nucleus, the dorsomedial optic nucleus, the pretectal nuclei including the cortical nucleus, and the optic tectum. The small size and lack of differentiation of the visual system in the electric catfish suggest a relatively small role for this sensory system in this species.

Ahstract4hanges in arachidonic acid metabolism were studied in the optic nerve, the choriomtina, and in the vitreous following crush injury to the optic nerve of rats. Crush injury led to: (i) a 3.9-fold increase in optic nerve prostaglandin type Er in vitro production which peaked on day 5 and was followed by a gradual decline, but was still significantly higher than baseline levels by day 12; (ii) a twofold increase in the chorioretina prostaglandin type E, in vitro production which peaked on day 1, and resumed baseline levels by day 3; (iii) a 3.5-fold increase in vitreous prostaglandin type E, levels on day 1 which remained at 1.5-2 times higher than baseline levels for the rest of the study period (12 days). The findings indicate that the pattern of changes in prostaglandin type E, production by the optic nerve (consisting mostly of white matter) is different from that described for injured brain tissues. The prolonged accumulation of vitreal prostaglandin type E, in eyes with damaged optic nerve may lead to undesirable effects on the retina beyond those directly manifested in the retina by altered axonal flow in the injured optic nerve.

The clinical and visual evoked potential (VEP) findings were analysed in 18 patients with anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy. The VEP studies showed a variety of abnormalities which could be interpreted as being the result of subcomponent interaction consequent upon loss or attenuation of the normal macular-derived P100 component. Delay of normal VEP subcomponents was not seen. The VEP findings were non-specific but pointed to a severe disturbance of transmission in optic nerve fibres subserving central vision. No significant changes were observed with time in most cases indicating a static monophasic process with no significant recovery.

A 9-month old infant presented in a state of shock to a district hospital. She was subsequently referred to the regional tertiary hospital. On admission, bruises were noted on the vertex of the skull. Retinal hemorrhages were present on ophthalmological examination. CT scan of the brain showed poor grey-white matter differentiation with apparent frontoparietal fractures of the skull. Her case was subsequently referred to the relevant authorities as it was suspicious for nonaccident injury (NAI). Her condition deteriorated and she died the next day. Postmortem examination showed that the bruises on the vertex were caused by rapid widening of the sutures of the skull, caused by rising intracranial pressure. There was no skull fracture or evidence of trauma. Histological examination of the brain showed meningitis which had extended to the optic nerve sheath. Hemorrhages were noted in the retinas as well as the optic nerve sheath. An incidental congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG) was diagnosed on brain histology and confirmed by metabolic tests. Retinal hemorrhages are known to occur in head injuries especially in association with NAI. In this case, suspicion of NAI was further augmented by the presence of apparent bruises on the head. The full postmortem examination showed no evidence of injuries and instead showed that the child was suffering from meningitis. Blood culture grew Group A Streptococcus pyogenes. The underlying mechanisms for such a presentation and the association with CDG are discussed.

Oculodermal melanocytosis (nevus of Ota) is a benign, congenital, melanocytic pigmentary disorder, most commonly involving the area innervated by the first and second divisions of the trigeminal nerve. We describe a case of cutaneous melanoma that developed in a nevus of Ota.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of world blindness, and retinal ganglion cell death is its pathological hallmark. There is accumulating evidence that glaucomatous damage extends from retinal ganglion cells to vision centers in the brain. In an experimental primate model of unilateral glaucoma, degenerative changes are observed in magnocellular, parvocellular, and koniocellular pathways in the lateral geniculate nucleus, and these changes are presented in relation to intraocular pressure and the severity of optic nerve damage. Neuropathological findings are also present in lateral geniculate nucleus layers driven by the unaffected fellow eye. Finally, there is information on changes in the visual cortex in relation to varying degrees of retinal ganglion cell loss. The implications of these findings for refining concepts regarding the pathobiology of progression, and the detection and treatment of glaucoma, are discussed. r

OBJECTIVE: Delineate the relationships among the optic nerve (CN II), the sphenoid sinus, and the sphenoethmoid cell. STUDY DESIGN: High-resolution CT scans of 64 frozen human cadavers were obtained on a Siemens VolumeZoom CT scanner (Munich, Germany) and transferred to a CBYON Suite Doctor Station version 2.6 (CBYON, Mountain View CA) for standardized review. RESULTS: Pneumatization around CN II was categorized into 5 types: no adjacent pneumatization (type 0), pneumatization adjacent to CN II (type 1), adjacent pneumatization with indentation (type 2), pneumatization of <50% CN II circumference (type 3), and pneumatization of >50% CN II circumference (type 4). The prevalence of types 0 to 4 CN II position relative to the sphenoid sinus was 4.7%, 25.8%, 39.8%, 14.1%, and 15.6%, respectively. The prevalence of sphenoethmoid cells was 28.1%. The prevalences of types 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 CN II positions relative to the sphenoethmoid cell was 5.6%, 58.3%, 25%, 2.8%, and 8.3% respect...

Autoradiographic analysis of the primary retinal projections in the thornback guitarfish reveals both contralateral and ipsilateral projections to diencephalic, pretectal, and tegmental nuclei and the optic tectum. A total of 12 retino-recipient cell groups receive ipsilateral as well as contralateral inputs.

Eight patients with acoustic neuromas were treated using a novel method developed at our institution for delivering fractionated stereotactic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (FS-IMRT). We present treatment parameters, dosimetry analysis, and preliminary clinical outcome. The method incorporates high-precision invasive fixation, obliquely-oriented tomotherapy arcs, and reduced dimension pencil beams. The delivered dose distributions for the 8 patients treated from April 1999 to May 2001 were assessed for dose conformality, homogeneity, and doses to organs at risk. Total doses prescribed were 54 Gy in daily doses of 1.8 Gy. Results show that the median planning target volume (gross tumor volume plus a safety margin of 2 mm) was 2.48 cm 3 (1.64 to 16.86 cm 3 ) and that the median conformality and homogeneity indices were 1.69 (1.56 to 2.16) and 1.12 (1.09 to 1.19), respectively. The respective average mean and maximum doses to the brain stem were 12.67 Gy and 53.86 Gy. The treatment parameters for the novel FS-IMRT method developed here document excellent dose conformality and normal tissue sparing. Preliminary short-term follow-up (mean 17, median 18.5 months) revealed a 100% local control and hearing preservation rate. No new persistent impairment of facial and trigeminal nerve was observed. Our current follow-up experience indicates a reasonable potential for achieving outcomes comparable to established stereotactic radiotherapy techniques.

Summary: We report a case of a hypothalamic chiasmatic ganglioglioma in a 21-year-old woman who presented with hyperprolactinemia and developed visual field defects. This circumscribed cystic lesion with an enhancing mural nod- ule was radiologically indistinguishable from a pilocytic as- trocytoma. Although rare, gangliogliomas should be in- cluded in the differential diagnosis of lesions occurring in this area of the brain. Gangliogliomas, although relatively rare, are the most frequently occurring mixed glioneuronal tu- mors of the CNS (1). Their incidence ranges from 0.4% to 1.3% of all brain tumors, but they are more common in the pediatric group, with an incidence of 7.6% (2, 3). Patients usually present with sei- zures (2). The temporal lobes are the most common site, but gangliogliomas can occur anywhere in the central neuraxis, including the brain stem and spi- nal cord (1). We report a case of a ganglioglioma arising in the hypothalamic chiasmatic region and its MR imaging...

It is often difficult to compare results obtained by different investigators on nerve compression injuries, owing to differences in method of pressure application and noncomparable pressure levels. In the present study, we described a new method to crush the optic nerve by using a specially designed and commercially available device. We think that standardization of the compression methods is necessary to compare interlaboratory results.

A blind volunteer with retinitis pigmentosa was chronically implanted with a self-sizing spiral cuff electrode around an optic nerve. Electrical stimuli applied to the nerve produced localized visual sensations that were broadly distributed throughout the visual field and could be varied by changing the stimulating conditions. These results demonstrate the potential for constructing a visual prosthesis, based on electrical stimulation of the optic nerve, for blind subjects who have intact retinal ganglion cells. q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), an advent of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D CRT), has excited the profession of radiation oncology more than any other new invention since the introduction of the linear accelerator. Approximately 1000 articles have been published on this topic to date, more than 200 of which focus on head and neck cancer. IMRT is based on computer-optimized treatment planning and a computer-controlled treatment delivery system. The computer-driven technology generates dose distributions that sharply conform to the tumor target while minimizing the dose delivered to the surrounding normal tissues. The high dose volume that tailors to the 3D configuration of the tumor along with the ability to spare the nearby normal tissues allows the option of tumor dose escalation.

Functional architecture of the striate cortex is known mostly at the tissue level -how neurons of different function distribute across its depth and surface on a scale of millimetres. But explanations for its design -why it is just so -need to be addressed at the synaptic level, a much finer scale where the basic description is still lacking. Functional architecture of the retina is known from the scale of millimetres down to nanometres, so we have sought explanations for various aspects of its design. Here we review several aspects of the retina's functional architecture and find that all seem governed by a single principle: represent the most information for the least cost in space and energy. Specifically: (i) why are OFF ganglion cells more numerous than ON cells? Because natural scenes contain more negative than positive contrasts, and the retina matches its neural resources to represent them equally well; (ii) why do ganglion cells of a given type overlap their dendrites to achieve 3-fold coverage? Because this maximizes total information represented by the array -balancing signal-to-noise improvement against increased redundancy; (iii) why do ganglion cells form multiple arrays? Because this allows most information to be sent at lower rates, decreasing the space and energy costs for sending a given amount of information. This broad principle, operating at higher levels, probably contributes to the brain's immense computational efficiency.

The microsystems based visual prosthesis (MiViP) visual prosthesis generates visual perceptions well below safety and stimulator saturation limits. These perceptions, called phosphenes, are of reasonably small size and are broadly distributed in the visual field. They can thus be used to convey useful visual information. Psychophysical evaluations are being performed in order to assess the implantee's benefits in the use of the MiViP optic nerve visual prosthesis. In a pattern-recognition task, the performance improved regularly with practice with an in-

The objective of this study was to determine the initial neurologic symptoms of multiple sclerosis among Bangladeshi patients. A total of 25 respondents of multiple sclerosis patients as cases selected by McDonald et al. (2001) diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis were enlisted during the study period. The clinical details, investigations of the respondents were reviewed. Data were recorded in predesigned data collection sheet. Out of 25 cases, male patients were 12 (48%) and females were 13 (52%), ratio being 1:1.08. Majority of the patients presented at second, third and fourth decades of life. Most of the patients (56%) had acute onset, followed by subacute (28%) and insidious (16%). Certain clinical characteristics among Bangladeshi multiple sclerosis patients are noteworthy, namely, number of male and female patients almost equal (48% vs 52%), a higher rate of impaired vision (optic nerve involvement, 64%), motor weakness (92%), sphincteric disturbances (92%) and a lower rate of brainstem and cerebellar involvement. Painful tonic spasm was a prominent feature among Bangladeshi patients with multiple sclerosis (8 out of 25, 32%).

The larval visual system of Drosophila melanogaster consists of two bilateral clusters of 12 photoreceptors, which express Rhodopsin 5 and 6 (Rh5 and Rh6) in a non-overlapping manner. These neurons send their axons in a fascicle, the larval optic nerve (LON), which terminates in the larval optic neuropil. The LON is required for the development of a serotonergic arborization originating in the central brain and for the development of the dendritic tree of the circadian pacemakers, the small ventral lateral neurons (LNv) Larval optic nerve and adult extra-retinal photoreceptors sequentially associate with clock neurons during Drosophila brain development. Development 129, 1443 -1453; Mukhopadhyay, M., Campos, A.R., 1995. The larval optic nerve is required for the development of an identified serotonergic arborization in Drosophila melanogaster. Dev. Biol., 169, 629 -643]. Here, we show that both Rh5-and Rh6-expressing fibers overlap equally with the 5-HT arborization and that it, in turn, also contacts the dendritic tree of the LNv. The experiments described here aimed at determining whether Rh5-or Rh6-expressing fibers, as well as the LNv, influence the development of this serotonergic arborization. We conclude that Rh6-expressing fibers play a unique role in providing a signal required for the outgrowth and branching of the serotonergic arborization. Moreover, the innervation of the larval optic neuropil by the 5-HT arborization depends on intact Rac function. A possible role for these serotonergic processes in modulating the larval circadian rhythmicity and photoreceptor function is discussed. D

Photobiomodulation by light in the red to near infrared range (630-1000 nm) using low energy lasers or light-emitting diode (LED) arrays has been shown to accelerate wound healing, improve recovery from ischemic injury in the heart and attenuate degeneration in the injured optic nerve. Recent evidence indicates that the therapeutic effects of red to near infrared light result, in part, from intracellular signaling mechanisms triggered by the interaction of NIR light with the mitochondrial photoacceptor molecule cytochrome c oxidase. We have demonstrated that NIR-LED photo-irradiation increases the production of cytochrome oxidase in cultured primary neurons and reverses the reduction of cytochrome oxidase activity produced by metabolic inhibitors. We have also shown that NIR-LED treatment prevents the development of oral mucositis in pediatric bone marrow transplant patients. Photobiomodulation improves wound healing in genetically diabetic mice by upregulating genes important in the promotion of wound healing. More recent studies have provided evidence for the therapeutic benefit of NIR-LED treatment in the survival and functional recovery of the retina and optic nerve in vivo after acute injury by the mitochondrial toxin, formic acid generated in the course of methanol intoxication. Gene discovery studies conducted using microarray technology documented a significant upregulation of gene expression in pathways involved in mitochondrial energy production and antioxidant cellular protection. These findings provide a link between the actions of red to near infrared light on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in vitro and cell injury in vivo. Based on these findings and the strong evidence that 1567-7249/$ -see front matter q (J.T. Eells). mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases processes, we propose that NIR-LED photobiomodulation represents an innovative and non-invasive therapeutic approach for the treatment of tissue injury and disease processes in which mitochondrial dysfunction is postulated to play a role including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and Parkinson's disease. q

A case of a 75-year old male with right-sided exopthalmos is presented. Outside proptosis of the right eye was initially observed 6 years ago. Opthalmological and endocrinological clinical examination as well as laboratory tests revealed no pathology from optic nerve disc, optic bulb and thyroid related hormones. MRI study demonstrated an optic nerve meningioma. The key imaging findings and the differential diagnosis were discussed in this present paper.

The field of depth recovery from optic flow has recently experienced much growth, both on the theoretical and on the empirical fronts. Unfortunately, the theoretical results are not as widely known to perception workers as they might be. This article gives a simple analysis of the information for depth present in optic flow. It also reviews the psychophysical results for depth recovery from motion. These results are discussed with reference to the theoretical analysis and to relevant computer algorithms for depth recovery.

Since the launch in 1998 of the anti-impotence drug sildenafil (viagra), the American food and drug administration has identified 50 cases of drug-related blindness, the so-called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. This, very serious, side effect frequently leads to sudden, mostly irreversible loss of vision, and there is no proven effective treatment to cure patients or to prevent recurrence. The mechanism of ischemic optic neuropathy is not clear, but it could be related to the fact that the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries have an autoregulation of their own blood flow without any autonomic nerve supply; vasoreactivity could be lower albeit efficient, and therefore more vulnerable to systemic modifications of the circulation. But decreased visual acuity and loss of visual ability also are, although uncommon, anesthesiological and surgical complications. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that sildenafil, surgery and anesthesia, taken together, could be a potentially dangerous cocktail of risk factors for sudden irreversible loss of vision. To reduce the risk, sildenafil use should be avoided at least one week before surgical operations, since the reported cases of blindness developed 36 h after drug ingestion. 340 4826 330 (Mobile);

Using concepts drawn from semiotic, the general theory of signs, and from the mathematical theory of communication, a theoretical framework is developed within which the problems relating to communication system adaptation may be defined and models of such adaptation constructed. The relationship between the semiotical notions of qualisign and legisign is used to define a concept of tolerance space that permits the statistical concept of equivocation to take on physical dimensions in the analysis of natural communication systems. For each of three central properties of the communication system (entropy, equivocation and semanticpragmatic relations) the components of the system that determine the property are identified and the ways in which these components might adapt to environmental changes are discussed.

The earliest impact of nanomedicine in ophthalmology is likely to involve the areas of biopharmaceuticals, implantable materials (e.g. tissue regeneration scaffolds, bioresorbable materials), implantable devices (e.g. glaucoma drainage valves), and diagnostic tools (e.g. intraocular pressure (IOP) monitors). Nanotechnology will bring about the development of regenerative medicine (i.e. replacement and improvement of cells, tissues, and organs) and artificial vision. In this chapter, we review ophthalmic applications of nanotechnology in the following areas: drug and trophic factor therapy for glaucoma, retinal degenerative, and retinal vascular disease; gene therapy for retinal degenerative disease; regenerative medicine, including optogenetics and optic nerve regeneration; and diagnostics (minimally invasive IOP monitoring). Nanotechnology will play an important role in both early-stage and late-stage intervention in the management of blinding diseases.

The intimate anatomical relationship between the orbit and the paranasal sinuses places the orbit and its contents at risk of harm from primary pathologic processes of the sinuses. In the absence of ophthalmic signs or symptoms, ophthalmologists are not routinely involved in the management of patients with sinus disease. Occasionally, some patients may develop ophthalmic complaints after surgical intervention. The orbit, optic nerve, extraocular muscles, and lacrimal drainage system are susceptible to injury during endoscopic sinus surgery. The risk of injury is related to the skill of the sinus surgeon, history of previous surgery, extent and severity of disease, and anatomic variation. Furthermore, recent advances in endoscopic sinus surgery, in particular the use of powered cutting instruments, has resulted in a novel mechanism of injury to the ocular structures.

A systematic approach for the examination of the optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer is described that will aid in the detection of glaucoma. This approach encompasses 5 rules: evaluation of optic disc size, neuroretinal rim size and shape, retinal nerve fiber layer, presence of parapapillary atrophy, and presence of retinal or optic disc hemorrhages. A systematic process enhances the ability to detect glaucomatous damage as well as the detection of progression, and facilitates appropriate management.

Raised intraocular pressure is a common and frequently serious complication of anterior uveitis. The milieu of inflammatory cells, the mediators they release, and the corticosteroid therapy used to treat the uveitis can participate in the pathogenesis of uveitic glaucoma. These factors alter the normal anatomic structure of the anterior chamber and angle, influencing aqueous production and outflow. These changes act to disrupt the homeostatic mechanisms of intraocular pressure control. Structural changes in the angle can be acute, such as in secondary angle closure with pupillary block glaucoma, or chronic, such as combined steroid-induced and secondary open angle glaucoma. Management of uveitic glaucoma may be difficult because of the numerous mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis.

This overview of orbital pathology deals with different kinds of tumors, inflammatory, vascular, and traumatic diseases, which may involve the orbit. Depending on the respective orbital compartment of the globe, the intrakonal, extrakonal and optic nerve the most important and most frequent lesions are presented with their specific clinical symptoms. Their specific presentation on CT-and MR-imaging is discussed in detail, including the most important differential diagnosis.

To evaluate the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) macular thickness parameters to differentiate between eyes with band atrophy (BA) of the optic nerve and healthy eyes. Cross-sectional study. The study included 1 eye of each of 40 consecutive patients with BA of the optic nerve and permanent temporal hemianopic visual field (VF) defects owing to chiasmal compression and 31 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. All patients underwent VF assessment with kinetic Goldmann perimetry and Humphrey 24-2 full-threshold standard automated perimetry (SAP). Macular and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness scans were obtained using the commercially available Stratus OCT. The severity of VF defect in patients with BA was evaluated by the temporal mean defect (TMD), calculated as the average of the 22 values of the temporal total deviation plot of the SAP 24-2 test, excluding the 2 points immediately above and below the blind spot. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and sensitivities at fixed specificities were calculated for each parameter. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationship between RNFL and macular thickness parameters and severity of VF loss as measured by the TMD. The macular thickness parameters related to the nasal hemiretina had the best performance to detect damage in BA eyes. No statistically significant difference (P = 0.19) was found between the ROC curve areas (AUCs) for the best macular thickness parameter (temporal/nasal macular thickness, AUC = 0.96) and the best RNFL parameter (average thickness, AUC = 0.99). Lower values of TMD, indicating more severe VF loss, were associated with lower macular thickness measurements. The highest correlation was observed for the parameter nasal average macular thickness (rho = 0.693, R2 = 48%, P<0.001). Eyes with BA of the optic nerve show significant thinning of the retinal thickness on the nasal macular area, which is associated with the severity of VF damage in these eyes. Macular thickness measurements could potentially be used to evaluate the amount of ganglion cell loss in patients with BA of the optic nerve and could prove clinically useful for detection of damage and for monitoring these patients.