PATIENTS WITH OCULAR HYPERTENSION HAVE ABNORMAL POINT SCOTOPIC THRESHOLDS IN THE SUPERIOR HEMIFIELD

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.