Abstract: Objective To analyze retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and macular thickness (MT) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in eyes with optic atrophy following idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (IDON) and to evaluate the relationship between RNFLT, MT, disease duration and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Design Retrospective case series. Participants Sixteen eyes with optic atrophy from 16 IDON patients and 23 normal eyes from 23 age and sex-matched healthy controls. Methods All participants underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) and BCVA examinations. The difference between the two groups, and the linear relationship between average (360°) RNFLT, cube average MT, disease duration and BCVA were evaluated. Main Outcome Measures Average RNFLT, RNFLT in the four quadrants, cube average MT, MT of 9 ETDRS sub-areas, disease duration and BCVA. Results Except for the central sub-area MT, all MT and RNFLT of optic atrophy eyes in IDON patients showed significant reduction (P=0.00). Cube average MT had a linear relationship with average RNFLT (r=0.662, P=0.01). Both average RNFLT and cube average MT had no linear relationship with disease duration (P=0.70，P=0.13). Both average RNFLT and cube average MT had no linear relationship with BCVA (P=0.80，P=0.28). Conclusions Except for the central sub-area MT, all MT and RNFLT measurements of optic atrophy eyes in IDON patients showed a significant reduction. Cube average MT had a linear relationship with average RNFLT and was dependent on RNFLT. Both average RNFLT and cube average MT had no linear relationship with disease duration or BCVA. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2013, 22: 130-134)

Key words: idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis, optic atrophy, optical coherence tomography, retinal nerve fiber layer, macular thickness