Is there a relationship between the ganglion cell complex thickness and macular thickness in patients with multiple sclerosis?

Objective: Optic neuritis (ON) is the most common ocular finding of multiple sclerosis (MS). ON can cause axonal loss and abnormalities in both optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters and visual evoked potentials (VEPs). In this study, the retinal fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell complex (GCC) and macular thicknesses were measured with OCT and compared between MS cases with and without a clinical history of ON and healthy individuals. In addition, it was examined whether these values were correlated with VEP and clinical findings and whether they could be used as a marker of axonal loss. Method: The study included 49 patients with MS (98 eyes) and 30 healthy controls (60 eyes) aged 18-55 years. Visual acuity, color vision, VEP, and OCT measurements were evaluated. Results: RNFL, GCC, macula (except the superior outer layer), and foveal thickness measurements were statistically significantly thinner in all MS patients, especially in eyes with a history of ON. Conclusion: Due to the detection of deterioration in these values in non-ON eyes, it was concluded that the use of OCT in all patients, not only in MS patients with ON, would be beneficial, and as the number of parameters measured in OCT is increased, its distinctive feature will improve and axonal damage can be better evaluated in MS patients.