BackgroundStandard automated perimetry does not sufficiently detect early open-angle glaucoma (OAG) in the clinic. New visual function tests for early glaucoma damage are therefore needed. The present study evaluated whether an isolated-check visual evoked potential (icVEP) could be used to detect visual function abnormalities in early-stage OAG and to explore potential related factors.

MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. Thirty-seven OAG patients with early-stage visual field loss (mean deviation ≥ -6.00 dB) detected by the Humphrey Field Analyzer (30-2 SITA program) and 26 controls were included in this study. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to detect retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects. The icVEP preferentially evaluates the magnocellular-ON pathway. VEPs were recorded and signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) were derived based on multivariate analysis. Eyes that yielded an SNR ≤1 were considered abnormal. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to estimate the accuracy of group classification. Correlations between SNRs and related factors were analyzed.

ResultsBased on an SNR criterion of 1, the icVEP had a sensitivity of 62.2% and a specificity of 92.3% for diagnosing early-stage OAG with 74.6% classification accuracy. The ROC curve analysis, however, suggested that an SNR criterion of 0.93 would produce the highest classification accuracy (77.3%). Both RNFL thinning in the temporal superior quadrant on OCT and number of abnormal test points in the central 11° visual field (pattern deviation, P < 0.5%) significantly correlated with the SNR (P < 0.05).

ConclusionsThe icVEP detected visual function abnormalities in approximately 3/5 of eyes with early-stage OAG with greater than 90% specificity. SNR correlated with both a decrease in RNFL thickness and severity of central visual field loss.