Thickness of the Lamina Cribrosa and Peripapillary Sclera in Rhesus Monkeys with Non-Glaucomatous or Glaucomatous Optic Neuropathy

　　Jost B.Jonas Sohan Singh Hayreh Tao Yong

　　Department of Ophthalmology，Medical Faculty Mannheim of the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg，68167 Mannheim，Germany Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences，College of Medicine，University of Iowa，Iowa City，Iowa 52242，USA 100005

　　Purpose:To compare the thickness of the lamina cribrosa and peripapillary sclera of the optic nerve head in monkeys with a non-glaucomatous optic nerve damage and with a glaucomatous optic nerve.

　　Method:The study included 26 monkey eyes which had undergone a temporary experimental CRAO，and 7 monkey eyes with experimental glaucoma.On histologic sections，the histomorphometry was assessed.

　　Results:The mean thickness of the lamina cribrosa in the central region，the midperipheral region，and the peripheral region，respectively，was significantly thicker in the CRAO group than in the glaucoma group.Correspondingly，the shortest distance between the lamina cribrosa surface and the cerebrospinal fluid space was significantly longer in the CRAO group than in the glaucoma group.The thickness of the peripapillary sclera at the optic disc border and just outside of the optic nerve meninges was significantly larger in the CRAO group than in the glaucoma group.

　　Conclusions:The results may suggest that the loss of optic nerve fibers alone may not be the only reason for the thinning of the lamina cribrosa in eyes with advanced glaucoma.