Achromatic losses in glaucoma would be expected to be greater than, or
equal to, red-green chromatic losses if the following assumptions are
made: (1) the function of the remaining axons is either unchanged or
non-selectively reduced; (2) red-green chromatic information is signal
ed by the midget ganglion cell system; and (3) the function of the mag
nocellular system is reduced at least as much as that of the midget ga
nglion cells, This prediction was tested by measuring red-green (along
with blue-yellow) mixture thresholds for 1 deg, 0.2 sec test spots pr
esented on a color monitor on a white background of 50 cd/m(2), Ellips
es were fitted to plots of green contrast as a function of red contras
t (or yellow as a function of blue), and major and minor axes of these
ellipses were taken as measures of chromatic and achromatic threshold
s, respectively, The study population consisted of 29 eyes in 29 patie
nts with early glaucoma; control data were derived from a data bank of
83 normal eyes, Red-green losses were significantly (P < 0.05) greate
r than achromatic losses in 6 out of the 11 eyes which showed signific
ant losses of either chromatic or achromatic sensitivity (or both), It
is concluded that, for these eyes, at least one of the above three as
sumptions is incorrect. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.