Using MRI to Quantify Optic Nerve Injury in Monkeys with Experimental Glaucoma: Atrophy and Diffusivity Effects

Alexandre Coimbra¹, Miller Ogidigben², Robert Peiffer², Lynn O'Neil-Davis², Marie Holahan¹, Jacquelynn Cook¹, Donald Williams¹

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve (ON) whose pathophysiology is poorly understood and clinical management is currently limited to intraocular pressure reduction strategy. Current methods for examining ON degeneration in glaucoma are ex-vivo preclinical studies and in-vivo imaging of nerve fiber layer in the periphery of the ON head. The present study accesses the ability of MRI to quantify degeneration of the ON in the retroorbital space of laser-induced glaucoma monkeys and shows that MRI renders quantitative indices that correlate with atrophy and intra-ocular pressure (IOP) and may be used to study ON degeneration induced by increased IOP.