AI Summary
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a useful tool for assessing damage to the optic nerve and retina. It has been particularly beneficial in understanding multiple sclerosis (MS), where measurements of retinal thickness have been correlated with visual function and disability. However, there have been inconsistent results in studies on progressive forms of MS, which need to be further understood for better treatment options.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a sensitive and reproducible tool for assessing damage to the optic nerve and retina. Advancements in OCT technology have allowed for the rapid imaging and quantitative measurement of retinal substructures, accelerating our understanding of the primary and secondary impact of neurologic disorders on anterior visual pathway anatomy and providing a novel, noninvasive avenue for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic screening.1 In no other disorder are these advancements more evident than in multiple sclerosis (MS), where OCT measurements of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness have been correlated with visual function, neurologic disability, and brain atrophy.2-4 While studies in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) have shown relatively uniform results, cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations in progressive forms of MS (PMS) have been inconsistent.5 Understanding the root of these differences will not only advance our knowledge and treatment of PMS but expand the utility of OCT across neurologic disorders.