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Nerve Fiber Analysis
Glaucoma causes loss of nerve fibers leading to vision loss.
Visual fields remain a "gold standard" to determine and measure progression of glaucoma nerve fiber damage. Unfortunately, up to 2/3 of the nerve fibers may be lost before visual fields may detect nerve fiber damage. Similarly, there may be extensive vision loss before structural damage to the optic nerve is detectable by the doctor examining the back of the eye.
GDx scanning laser is a comfortable diagnostic test taking only a few minutes to directly measure the thickness of the critical nerve fiber layer at the back of the eye.
Our practice utilizes the GDx scanning laser, a diagnostic test taking only a few minutes to directly measure the thickness of the critical transparent nerve fiber layer at the back of the eye.
While sitting comfortably, patients can have their nerve fiber layer checked with the GDx scanning laser. The nerve fiber layer may then be monitored with subsequent laser scans to determine if treatment is adequate. Laser scanning GDx is used routinely in our office and is covered by Medicare and almost all insurance plans.
© Earl W. Nepple, M.D., 2003 - All Rights Reserved |
Because the nerve fibers are at the back of the eye and are transparent, the nerve fiber layer has traditionally been examined using indirect methods. These methods include examining the appearance of the structure of the optic nerve where it enters at the back of the eye when the examining physician looks in the eye or by measuring a patient's subjective response to presentation of spots of light, called a visual field. 
