COLOR-VISION DEFICIT IN NORMAL-TENSION GLAUCOMA EYES

Color vision deficit in 26 eyes with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) is compared with that in 21 eyes with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) using the color perimetry method developed by Iijima et al. Subjects h ad visual field defects confined to either the upper or the lower hemi field as determined by conventional white-on-white perimetry, and the stage of disease was relatively early with an average mean deviation ( MD) of -7 dB. Except for intraocular pressure, there were no significa nt differences between NTG and POAG subjects in age, refraction, MD, a nd mean total deviation for spared and damaged hemifield. In the spare d hemifield, the incidence of blue-yellow abnormality was significantl y different between the two diseases (P=0.01); in only 11% of the pres ent NTG eyes versus 52% of the POAG eyes in the present study. In the damaged hemifield, however, the blue-yellow abnormality was found in a bout 75% of the eyes, whether NTG or POAG. This finding may further sh ed light on the pathogenesis of open angle glaucoma.