A healthy retinal nerve fiber layer is thickest at which portion of the optic nerve head?

The thickest portion of the retinal nerve fiber layer at the optic nerve head is found inferiorly. This is due to the anatomy of the nerve fiber distribution as they converge toward the optic disc. In a healthy eye, the nerve fibers that originate from the macula and the superior and inferior temporal quadrants converge at the optic nerve head, with a greater concentration of fibers located in the inferior quadrant. This anatomical arrangement accounts for the relative thickness of the nerve fiber layer in that region compared to other areas such as nasally or temporally.

The inferior region consistently shows the greatest density of nerve fibers, which is important when assessing the optic nerve for signs of glaucoma or other disorders that may affect the nerve fiber layer. The understanding of this distribution is crucial for clinicians during evaluations and imaging of the optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer.