ABSTRACT
Objectives:
To determine the frequency and characteristics of alterations in ophthalmologic examinations of optic nerve and macula coherence tomography (OCT), and Campimetry in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
Methods:
Sixty eyes were examined, 30 of which were diagnosed with MS and 30 of the control patients, all attended at the General Hospital of the Federal District of Brazil. The patients were evaluated regarding the parameters: characteristics and alterations of the ophthalmological examination, OCT of the nerve and macula and Campimetry.
Results:
Patients with MS presented worse results in all parameters evaluated. On visual field examination localized losses were found in 50% of the cases . In relation to OCT of the optic nerve it was observed a reduction of the nerve fiber layer in temporal quadrants (p = 0.0251) and lower (p = 0.0041). The macular OCT revealed a decrease in the CFN, mainly in the internal nasal quadrants (p = 0.0002) and external (p = 0.0016), internal inferior (p = 0.0007) and external superior (p = 0.0108) plus internal (p = 0.0046). Patients with lower values of macular thickness also had worse results in the visual field (p = 0.0001).
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that MS is a disease capable of causing changes in OCT and visual field tests even in the absence of visual symptoms reported by patients. Examinations such as visual field and OCT of macula and nerve can be a useful tool to estimate the damage by the disease and to assist in the follow-up of these patients
Keywords:
Multiple sclerosis; Tomography, optic coherence; Campimetry