March 2012
Volume 53, Issue 14
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   March 2012
Postural Stability In Patients With Glaucomatous Visual Field Loss
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Sheema A. Khan
    NIHR BRC for Ophthalmology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom
  • Greg A. Richardson
    NIHR BRC for Ophthalmology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom
  • David F. Garway-Heath
    NIHR BRC for Ophthalmology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom
  • Gary S. Rubin
    Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
  • Aachal Kotecha
    NIHR BRC for Ophthalmology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  Sheema A. Khan, None; Greg A. Richardson, None; David F. Garway-Heath, None; Gary S. Rubin, None; Aachal Kotecha, None
  • Footnotes
    Support  Special Trustees of Moorfields Eye Hospital; NIHR BRC for Ophthalmology; Friends of Moorfields Eye Hospital.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science March 2012, Vol.53, 204. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation

      Sheema A. Khan, Greg A. Richardson, David F. Garway-Heath, Gary S. Rubin, Aachal Kotecha; Postural Stability In Patients With Glaucomatous Visual Field Loss. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2012;53(14):204.

      Download citation file:


      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
  • Supplements
Abstract
 
Purpose:
 

To examine if there are differences in postural stability between glaucoma patients and age-similar controls.

 
Methods:
 

Glaucoma patients (G) were recruited from the clinics of Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK and control subjects (C) from the local community. Visual tests included logMAR vision, stereoacuity and standard automated perimetry (HFA; Zeiss-Humphrey Instruments) generating monocular mean deviation (MD) scores, from which binocular integrated visual field scores (IVF) were generated. Postural stability was measured using a force plate (Bertec 4060, Bertec Corporation, Columbus, OH) which measures the coordinates of the centre of foot pressure (CoP). Subjects were asked to fixate on a distant target. Each subject underwent three 30 second recordings of postural stability under each of 4 conditions; eyes open and closed on a firm surface and eyes open and closed on a foam surface. Global sway velocities (V) were calculated from the coordinates of the CoP. Median V values for each condition were calculated for each subject. The visual contribution to sway was calculated using the Romberg quotient RQ =V(eyes closed [foam])/V(eyes open [foam]). Data were compared using Mann-Whitney U test.

 
Results:
 

Demographic data and V results are presented in table 1. There were no significant differences in V between groups. However, there was a significant difference in RQ between groups (median RQ [interquartile range]:G 1.6 [1.2 - 1.9]; C 2.2 [1.7] - 2.5; z-stat = 3.0, p = 0.02). There was a weak, non significant relationship between RQ and IVF, such that those with a worse IVF had a lower RQ.

 
Conclusions:
 

These interim analyses suggest that the visual contribution to postural balance during quiet stance is reduced in glaucoma patients compared with age-matched controls. This suggests that glaucoma patients may rely more on their vestibular and somatosensory systems to maintain balance.  

 
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques • low vision • quality of life 
×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×