Abstract: 【Abstract】Optical coherence tomography (OCT) techniques have developed to a new generation, spectral domain (SD) OCT. Compared to the conventional time domain (TD) OCT, SDOCT offers improved performance in terms of reproducibility. SDOCT has a high level of discriminating capability  between healthy and perimetric glaucoma eyes. In the diagnosis of glaucoma, SDOCT has advantages in qualitative measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL)over  GDx and HRT, and closely related to the parameters of visual field. In the future, it has a broad prospect for the glaucoma follow up. This article reviews the application of SDOCT on the quantitative measurement of RNFL thickness and its reproducibility, normal parameter in population， and value in the early diagnosis of glaucoma compared to the previous generations of OCT and other equipments. (Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2012, 36: 307313)