Purpose

To demonstrate morphological changes in peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and peripapillary retinal ganglion cell complex in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Material and methods

73 eyes of 37 patients were enrolled: 34 eyes of 17 patients with multiple sclerosis and 39 eyes of 20 healthy individuals as a control group. The study group was further subdivided into two groups according to the presence/ absence of optic neuritis in medical history. All patients underwent an ophthalmic examination including visual acuity, fundus biomicroscopy as well as optical coherence tomography assessment of peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and peripapillary ganglion cell complex thickness.

Results

The peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness was reduced in subjects as compared to controls (87.21± 12.1 vs. 107.23 ± 10.31 μm, p<.001) and the reduction was greater in eyes with optic neuritis (79.65 ± 10.95 vs. 91.89 ± 10.48 vs. 107.23 ± 10.32, p = .002691). Similarly, the ganglion cell complex thickness was reduced in subjects as compared to controls (127.04 ± 13.85 vs. 150.67 ± 12.40 μm, p = .00093) and the reduction was greater in eyes with optic neuritis (117.85 ± 12.85 vs. 132.74 ±11.34, p<.001). There was a strong correlation between the peripapillary nerve fibre layer and ganglion cell complex thickness.

Conclusions

The peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and the ganglion cell complex were reduced in patients with multiple sclerosis. Although the reduction was also confirmed in patients without a history of optic neuritis, it was significantly larger in patients with a history of optic neuritis. Optical coherence tomography can aide the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with multiple sclerosis.