Imaging of the optic nerve and retinal nerve fiber layer: an essential part of glaucoma diagnosis and monitoring.

Because glaucomatous damage is irreversible early detection of structural changes in the optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer is imperative for timely diagnosis of glaucoma and monitoring of its progression. Significant improvements in ocular imaging have been made in recent years. Imaging techniques such as optical coherence tomography, scanning laser polarimetry and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy rely on different properties of light to provide objective structural assessment of the optic nerve head, retinal nerve fiber layer and macula. In this review, we discuss the capabilities of these imaging modalities pertinent for diagnosis of glaucoma and detection of progressive glaucomatous damage and provide a review of the current knowledge on the clinical performance of these technologies.