Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high resolution noncontact imaging modality which can quantitatively detect the optic disc and retinal structure.This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic capability of parameters of the optic disc, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and ganglion cell complex (GCC) using a new technology called Fourier-domain OCT (FD-OCT) for early primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.Methods Two groups of patients, early perimetric damage POAG and normal subjects were included in this observational cross-sectional study.All patients underwent FD-OCT and visual field examination in addition to full ophthalmic examinations.Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were studied for all parameters.The sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing between normal and early glaucomatous eyes, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AROC) and positive, negative likelihood ratios were evaluated for all the single parameters and selected combined parameters using arbitrary cutoffs.Results Thirty-four eyes of 34 early POAG patients and 42 eyes of 42 normal subjects were analyzed.Cup/disc (C/D)vertical ratio presented the best sensitivity and positive likelihood ratio for selected specificities (95% and 85%) which were 79.4% and 88.2%, 33.4 and 7.4, respectively.Among all single parameters, the C/D vertical ratio demonstrated the highest AROC which was at 0.930.The average thickness of circumpapillary RNFL on 3.45 mm showed the highest AROC among all of the peripapillary RNFL parameters.The sensitivity at selected specificity and AROC of GCC were not as high as C/D vertical ratio and RNFL AT on 3.45 mm.When the C/D vertical ratio, RNFL AT on 3.45 mm, and rim area were combined using a logistical diagnostic model, the AROC was raised to 0.949 but not significantly different from the top single parameter, C/D vertical ratio.Conclusions The key parameters obtained by FD-OCT were able to show the significant differences of optic discs,thickness of RNFL and GCC between POAG patients and normal subjects.According to sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio and AROC, the top three parameters from FD-OCT for early diagnosis of POAG were C/D vertical ratio, RNFL AT on 3.45 mm, and the rim area.