AIM: To investigate the application of retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness detected by OCT in the diagnosis of primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)and its relationship with the mean defect of visual field.

METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out. Totally 158 cases(158 eyes)of patients with POAG were selected as POAG group, including 81 cases in early stage, 47 cases in middle stage and 30 cases in late stage. At the same time, 50 cases of persons without eye related diseases were selected as the control group. The upper, lower, nasal and bitamporal RNFL thickness and mean defect of visual field were detected, and the patients with POAG were followed up for 3mo.

RESULTS: The upper, lower, nasal and bitamporal RNFL in POAG group were thinner than those in the control, and the mean defect of visual field was higher than that in the control group at different time(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in RNFL thickness and mean defect of visual field between patients with early POAG and the control group(P>0.05). The RNFL thickness of various parts was higher than that in patients with middle and late POAG, and the mean defect of visual field was lower than that in patients with middle and late POAG(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in RNFL thickness of various parts and mean defect of visual field in POAG group at different time(P>0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the upper, lower, nasal and bitamporal RNFL thickness was negatively correlated with the mean defect of visual field(r=-0.719, -0.615, -0.681, -0.518, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: OCT can monitor the change of RNFL thickness in patients with POAG, and has a negative correlation with mean defect of visual field, which can be used for early diagnosis of POAG.