Medine GÜNDOĞAN, Mahmut Erkam ARSLAN
Turkish Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - 2026;21(3):130-140
Purpose: This study aimed to compare structural lamina cribrosa (LC) and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters, including the lamina cribrosa curvature index (LCCI), among eyes with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG), pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEXS), and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study included 51 PEXG, 47 PEXS, and 45 control eyes. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examination, standard automated perimetry, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the ONH and LC. LC thickness (LCT), LC depth (LCD), LCCI, Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were compared among groups. Correlations between LCCI and structural and functional parameters were analyzed in the PEXG group. Results: Compared with PEXS and controls, PEXG eyes showed lower LCT and RNFL, and higher BMO, and LCCI (all p < 0.05). LCD differed significantly only between PEXG and controls. (P= 0.03) RNFL had the best diagnostic performance for PEXG vs PEXS (AUC = 0.901), followed by LCT(0.760), LCCI(0.680), and BMO(0.667). Similar results were found for PEXG vs controls (RNFL: 0.927; LCT: 0.859; LCCI: 0.780; BMO: 0.724). For PEXS vs controls, LCT had the highest AUC (0.692), followed by LCCI (0.608), RNFL (0.603), and BMO (0.590). In PEXG, LCCI correlated negatively with RNFL(r = -0.528), BMO(r = -0.367), and MD(r = -0.373), and positively with PSD(r = 0.323) (all p <= 0.021). Conclusion: LCT and the LCCI were significantly altered in PEXG. Assessment of LC morphology can provide additional data for the structural evaluation of glaucomatous changes in eyes with pseudoexfoliative disease.
