White-noise field campimetry in 24 patients with coronary artery disease

Purpose: In earlier studies it was shown that patients with vascular distur bances (e.g. sudden hearing loss) had white-noise field campimetry abnormal ities despite normal visual fields. The aim of this study was to clarify wh ether patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) have such disturbances in the white-noise field campimetry, too. Patients and methods: Twenty-four patients (m:f= 23:1; mean age 58+/-9 year s) with an angiographically documented CHD and 30 healthy controls (m:f= 29 :1; mean age 54+/-7 years) were examined. In order to evaluate the morpholo gical and functional ocular status, we examined the following parameters: m orphological status, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, perimetry (Tubing er Automatic Perimeter 2000ct, Oculus) and white-noise field campimetry (Tu binger Electronic Campimeter, Oculus). Results: Fifteen patients had had a cardiac infarction. Twenty-one patients , but only 6 controls had alterations in perilimbal vessels of the conjunct iva and sixteen patients had a tortuousity of retinal vessels. The visual a cuity, the intraocular pressure, the cup/disc ratio and the visual fields w ere within normal ranges. However, twenty patients and 5 controls were abno rmal in the white-noise field campimetry. Discussion: Although patients with CHD appeared unaffected in the standard eye examinations, the disturbances in the white-noise field campimetry indi cated a functional visual impairment. Together with the changes in the peri limbal vessels of the conjunctiva and the retinal vessels, a disturbed ocul ar microcirculation as the underlaying cause could be discussed.