Rj. Stirling et al., PATIENTS WITH OCULAR HYPERTENSION HAVE ABNORMAL POINT SCOTOPIC THRESHOLDS IN THE SUPERIOR HEMIFIELD, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 37(8), 1996, pp. 1608-1617
Purpose. To compare light- and fully dark-adapted thresholds at loci w
ithin the central visual field in patients with ocular hypertension an
d glaucoma. Methods. Eighteen patients with chronic open angle glaucom
a, 13 patients with ocular hypertension, and 24 age-matched normals we
re studied. The Humphrey automated perimeter with the standard backgro
und illumination of 31.5 apostilbs was used to determine photopic thre
sholds at 18 loci within 20 degrees of fixation. Fully dark-adapted th
resholds were measured at the same loci after 30 minutes of dark adapt
ation by automatic, static campimetry. Results. The glaucoma group sho
wed elevated scotopic thresholds. Scotopic defects also were found in
a significantly higher of patients with ocular hypertension than in no
rmals. These scotopic defects were predominantly in the superior hemif
ield. Conclusions. Scotopic threshold campimetry may identify the subg
roup of patients with ocular hypertension who progress to develop glau
comatous field loss identifiable by standard photopic and mesopic peri
metry.