Retinal Ganglion Cell Atrophy in Homonymous Hemianopia due to Acquired Occipital Lesions Observed Using Cirrus High-Definition-OCT

Purpose. to report a reduction in macular ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer (gcl+ipl) thickness and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cprnfl) thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in patients with homonymous hemianopia due to posterior cerebral artery (pca) stroke. methods. seven patients with pca stroke were examined using cirrus high-definition-oct. the gcl+ipl thicknesses were divided into the hemianopic and unaffected sides. the relationship between the time after stroke and the gcl+ipl thicknesses in the hemianopic side was evaluated. results. the average thicknesses of the gcl+ipl were 64.6 and 82.0 μm on the hemianopic and unaffected sides,respectively,and the measurement was significantly thinner on the former side (p = 0.018). a regression analysis revealed a negative linear relationship (r 2 = 0.574,p = 0.049) between the time after stoke and the gcl+ipl thicknesses on the hemianopic side. the supratemporal and inferotemporal cprnfl thicknesses in the eyes ipsilateral to the stroke showed a significant reduction. conclusion. our findings confirmed our previous observations that the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells can occur after pca stroke. gcl+ipl thinning was demonstrated in the hemiretinae corresponding to the affected hemifields. also,it is suggested that the retinal changes observed are progressive. � 2016 tsutomu yamashita et al.