Furkan Çiftci, Sibel Zırtıloğlu, Mustafa Suat Alıkma
İstanbul Medical Journal - 2026;27(2):171-176
Introduction: To evaluate foveal, temporal parafoveal, and nasal parafoveal choroidal thicknesses together with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) parameters in treatment-naive patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), and to compare these findings with those of patients with ocular hypertension (OHT). Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included one eye from each of 40 NTG patients and 66 OHT patients. In all participants, quadrant- and clock-hour-based RNFL measurements and foveal, temporal-parafoveal, and nasal-parafoveal choroidal thicknesses were assessed using optical coherence tomography. Results: No significant differences were observed between the groups regarding age, sex, axial length, or disc area. Mean RNFL thickness and quadrant-based and clock-hour RNFL values were significantly lower in the NTG group than in the OHT group at all locations except the 9 o'clock sector (p<0.05). While no significant intergroup differences were detected in foveal or nasal parafoveal choroidal thickness, temporal parafoveal choroidal thickness was greater in the OHT group than in the NTG group (p=0.047). Conclusion: Based on the present results, macular choroidal thickness by itself does not appear to provide sufficient discriminatory value in normal-tension glaucoma. Rather than relying solely on macular choroidal measurements, microvascular changes in the optic nerve head may represent a more relevant contributor to glaucomatous damage. Future investigations integrating functional vascular imaging modalities may clarify the mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of normal-tension glaucoma.
