Purpose: To evaluate whether eyes with chronic glaucoma have a larger or smaller optic disk than normal eyes.
Design: Population-based, cross-sectional cohort study.
Methods: The study included 4439 subjects out of 5324 subjects invited to participate with an age of 40+ years. Color optic disk photographs (45 degrees ) were morphometrically examined.
Results: After exclusion of aphakic eyes, pseudophakic eyes, and highly myopic eyes, data of 3989 subjects entered the statistical analysis. The mean optic disk area did not vary significantly (P > .05) between the nonglaucomatous group (2.61 +/- 0.50 mm(2)), eyes with glaucomatous appearance of the optic disk (2.69 +/- 0.63 mm(2)), eyes with glaucomatous optic disks and visual field defects (2.66 +/- 0.70 mm(2)), and eyes with elevated intraocular pressure (2.63 +/- 0.49 mm(2)).
Conclusions: In adult Chinese, optic disk size may not markedly differ between normal eyes and eyes with chronic glaucoma.