Scanning Laser Polarimetry for Detection and Follow-up of Glaucoma

Abstract

Scanning laser polarimetry is one of the widely used imaging technologies developed to detect glaucoma. The method is based on the non-invasive measurement of retardation of the illuminating polarized laser light by the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer. Since the measurement principle is tissue specific, no time-consuming delineation of the optic nerve head is necessary. The recent software versions (GDx-VCC and GDx-ECC) show favorable diagnostic accuracy and have been completed with an advanced program for the detection of glaucoma progression during long-term follow-up.

Keywords: Retinal nerve fibre layer, retinal ganglion cell, glaucoma diagnosis, glaucoma progression, glaucoma monitoring, optic nerve head, peripapillary area, pre-perimetric glaucoma, imaging, polarized laser light, GDx-VCC, GDx-ECC, laser.