Early glaucoma changes in patients with and without an optic disc haemorrhage.

Previous reports have shown that retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) observation is useful for detection of early glaucoma changes in patients with optic disc haemorrhage. Since disc haemorrhages are not a factor in all glaucoma patients this study was carried out in order to estimate the value of RNFL observation in patients whose first glaucoma damage developed without a haemorrhage. Evaluation of the retrospective data showed that RNFL defects were the first and only detectable glaucoma changes in 46% of haemorrhagic eyes and 26% of non-haemorrhagic eyes. RNFL observation is useful in the follow-up of ocular hypertensive patients for detection of very early glaucoma changes, regardless of whether the changes develop with or without an optic disc haemorrhage.