Estimation of the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in the papillomacular area of long standing stage IV macular holes

Aim-To compare the thickness of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) in the papillomacular area of patients with long standing stage IV macular holes with age matched controls, using a scanning laser polarimeter. Methods-The nerve fibre analyser (NFA) was used to measure the mean thickne ss of the RNFL around the optic nerve head, the thickness values of tempora l and nasal 45 degrees sectors and the integral values in 10 patients with macular holes and in 10 age matched controls. Results-The mean RNFL thickness around the optic nerve head was 79.71 (SD 1 5.06) mu n in the macular hole group and 75.1 (10.8) mu m in the control gr oup (p = 0.44). The mean thickness in the temporal sector was 63.69 (12.08) mu m in the macular hole group and 58.65 (8.9) mu m in the control group ( p = 0.3). The mean ratio between the temporal and nasal sector thickness va lues was 0.8441 in the macular hole group and 0.7819 in the controls (p = 0 .42). Conclusions-There was no significant difference in the thickness of the RNF L in the papillomacular area in the two groups. This suggests that there ma y be no changes in the thickness of the RNFL in patients with long standing macular holes.