Comparison of retinal nerve fiber thickness in emmetropes, myopes and hyperopes using optical coherence tomography

Aim of this study was to analyze retinal nerve fiber layer thickness by using spectral domen Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in different refractive status (emmetrops, myopes and hypermetrops). A cross-sectional study involved 150 patients aged 18-40, with and without refractive errors. Three groups (Emmetropic, Myopic, Hypermetropic) were tested using spectral domain OCT after pupil dilation, comparing RNFL thickness. In this study, 150 participants were categorized into three groups: emmetropia, myopia, and hypermetropia. The age group most represented was 21-25 years, comprising 35.3% of the sample. Of the total, 80 were male (53.3%), and 70 were female. Among males, 22 patients were emmetropia, myopia in 31 and hypermetropia in 27. The mean axial length for emmetropia was 23.54 ± 0.48 SD, myopia was 24.53 ± 0.48 and hypermetropia was 22.36 ± 1.11. Hypermetropia was further categorized into low-grade 22.49 ± 1.06 SD, moderate 22.26 ± 1.12 SD and high-grade 22.45 ± 1.00 based on axial length. Myopic individuals exhibited significant RNFL thinning, particularly in the inferior and superior quadrants, resembling early glaucoma-related changes. This has implications for glaucoma suspect evaluations.