PURPOSE: To compare quantitative polarimetric measurements in eyes with NTG and HTG using GDx-VCC. Both groups were matched by age and glaucoma stage based on the Humphrey visual field test. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 146 patients who underwent Humphrey field analysis (HFA) and GDx-VCC. We compared outcomes of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) parameters among the three groups by ANOVA and between each pair of groups using the Tukey-Kramer Post-Hoc test. We also evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of GDx-VCC in detecting glaucoma in each group. RESULTS: The mean age and HFA mean deviation (MD) were 55.6+/-9.5 years and -0.8+/-1.5 dB in 47 control patients, 59.4+/-9.0 years and -5.77+/-4.38 dB in 49 NTG patients, and 59.4+/-11.7 years and -8.09+/-6.77 dB in 51 HTG patients, respectively. All thickness parameters were lower in HTG patients compared to NTG patients, but there were no significant differences in ratio parameters between age-matched early HTG and NTG patients. The sensitivity of GDx-VCC was significantly higher in both early and total HTG patients compared to the respective groups of NTG patients. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to eyes with NTG, eyes with HTG showed reduced RNFL thickness and ratio parameters when patients were age and visual field matched. GDx-VCC appeared to be more sensitive in detecting RNFL damage in HTG patients.
Visual Fields ; Severity of Illness Index ; Retrospective Studies ; Retinal Ganglion Cells/*pathology ; Perimetry/*methods ; Nerve Fibers/*pathology ; Middle Aged ; Lasers/*diagnostic use ; Intraocular Pressure/*physiology ; Humans ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/*pathology/physiopathology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Aged

To estimate the rate of visual field progression in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG), we reviewed the medical records of POAG and PACG patients who had a minimum of 5-year longitudinal Goldmann visual field data. I4e and I2e isopters were quantified using grid systems. The rate of change was calculated from the slope of a linear fit to a series of average visual field scores. Twenty-three eyes of POAG patients and 25 of PACG patients were studied. The rate of visual field score change was -2.00 +/- 2.0% per year in the PACG group, and -0.81 +/- 1.0% per year inthe POAG group. In these two patient groups, who were on conventional treatment at two referral hospitals, better visual field on initial presentation yielded faster progression in the POAG group, while the higher average of highest intraocular pressure in each year during follow-up was related to faster progression in the PACG group.
Adult ; Aged ; Comparative Study ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Glaucoma, Angle-Closure/*physiopathology ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/*physiopathology ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perimetry/methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Vision Disorders/etiology/*physiopathology ; *Visual Fields

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the frequency doubling technology (FDT) screening algorithm and parapapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in the eyes of glaucoma suspects and patients with open angle glaucoma. FDT C20-1 screening program and a scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) system (GDx-NFA) was used to assess 53 glaucomatous eyes, 53 glaucoma suspects and 36 normal control eyes. In glaucomatous eyes, there were correlations between the FDT the screening algorithm and RNFL retardation values in several polarimetric indices, most significantly "inferior thickness" (r = -0.321, P = 0.029). In the eyes of glaucoma suspects, however, we observed no correlation between the FDT results and RNFL retardation values (r = 0.080, P > 0.05, "inferior thickness"). In glaucomatous eyes, the abnormal scores obtained with FDT screening program correlated negatively with RNFL retardation values, as measured by SLP. Despite poor correlation between the FDT abnormal score and RNFL retardation value in glaucoma suspects, detection of abnormality using the FDT screening protocol may aid in the assessment of early glaucomatous structural damage.
Comparative Study ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/*diagnosis/physiopathology ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lasers/diagnostic use ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Fibers/*pathology ; Ocular Hypertension/diagnosis/physiopathology ; Optic Nerve/*pathology ; Perimetry/*methods ; Retinal Ganglion Cells/*pathology