Central corneal thickness and development of glaucomatous optic disk hemorrhages.

Purpose: To evaluate whether central corneal thickness influences the development of optic disk hemorrhages in chronic open-angle glaucoma.

Design: Prospective observational clinical study.

Methods: The study included 390 eyes of 223 white subjects with chronic open-angle glaucoma observed during a mean follow-up time of 61.3 +/- 36.4 months. Central corneal thickness was measured by corneal pachymetry.

Results: The event of optic disk hemorrhages during follow-up was detected in 63 eyes (16.2%). Development of optic disk hemorrhages was, univariately (P = .73) as well as in a multiple Cox regression analysis, controlling for age, sex, normal tension glaucoma, intraocular pressure, neuroretinal rim area, and size of beta zone of peripapillary atrophy, statistically independent (P = .56) of central corneal thickness.

Conclusions: Development of optic disk hemorrhages may not be markedly influenced by central corneal thickness.