OPTIC DISK HEMORRHAGES IN GLAUCOMA

We evaluated the frequency and location of optic disk hemorrhages by e xamining morphometrically color stereo optic disk photographs of 1,505 glaucomatous eyes and 595 normal eyes. Disk hemorrhages were found in 61 of the glaucomatous eyes (4.1%) and in none of the normal eyes. Th e frequency of the hemorrhages increased from an early stage of glauco ma to a medium-advanced stage and decreased again toward a far-advance d stage. The disk hemorrhages were not found in disk regions or eyes w ithout detectable neuroretinal rim. In early glaucoma, they were usual ly located in the inferotemporal or superior disk regions. (The freque ncy of hemorrhages was 6.3% in normal-pressure glaucoma, 4.9% in prima ry open-angle glaucoma, and 3.1% in secondary open-angle glaucoma.) Th ey were correlated with localized retinal nerve fiber layer defects, n euroretinal rim notches, and circumscribed perimetric loss. These char acteristics imply the pathogenetic and diagnostic importance of disk h emorrhages for the detection of glaucoma.