Acquired Color Vision Disturbances in Patients With Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: In view of the generally impaired vascular condition in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), we were interested in their colour perception. Methods: The ophthalmological examination includes morphological status, visual acuity, refraction, intraocular pressure, and the cup/disk–ratio. Colour vision, examined by both, the pseudoisochromatic plates of Ishihara and the cap–sorting test, Roth 28–hue (E) desaturated, were measured monoculary under standard conditions in both eyes. The background was a black cardboard; illumination was provided by fluorescent light sources (2000 lux, 5500 Kelvin) with a balanced spectral distribution and a colour–rendering index of 93 (Osram L36W/12 LDL Daylight). Results: Seventeen patients (m:f=2:15; mean age 52+10.8 years) with PPH and 17 generally healthy controls (m:f=7:10; mean age 53.2±7.5years) were examined. Visual acuity, refraction, intraocular pressure and the cup/disk–ratio of the patients as well as the readings with the Ishihara plates were within normal ranges. But testing of colour vision with the Roth 28–hue (E) desaturated revealed a significantly higher error score in patients with PPH (194.2±79.1) than the control group (91.1±64.1; p<0.001). A particular colour axis (blue–yellow or red–green) was not found. Conclusions: Although patients with primary pulmonary hypertension appeared ophthalmologically healthy under routine eye examination, colour vision was considerable disturbed. This could be an functionally early sign of disturbances in choroidal microcirculation.

Keywords: color vision • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment