Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate the correlation of structural findings derived from OCT with achromatic visual field data in open–angle glaucoma (OAG). Methods: Forty eyes (of 35 patients) with OAG, defined based on presence of a localized glaucomatous visual field defect, that met the following criteria were prospectively enrolled: mean deviation (MD) ≥ –12.0 dB, spherical equivalent ≤ 5 D, astigmatism ≤ 3 D, best corrected visual acuity 20/40 or better, and no previous glaucoma surgery. Correlation of visual field indices and visual field zones, described by Garway–Heath et al. (Figure), was investigated with the following OCT STRATUS data: average nerve fiber layer thickness (NFLT), hemiretinal NFLT, NFLT in quadrants and 12 clock hour sectors. Frequency tables were also constructed to further explore the structure–function relationship. Results: The average MD (± SD) was –4.5 (± 3.4) dB. No significant correlation was found between MD and average NFLT (p > .05). The NFLT in the superior quadrant and hemiretina was significantly correlated to inferior hemifield MD (r = .432 and .353; p = .005 and .025, respectively). The same was true for the correlation between superior hemifield MD and NFLT in the inferior quadrant (r = .357, p = .024). The following correlations were also found to be significant: zones 3 vs. both 10 and 11 o’clock sectors (r = .546 and .594, p < .001 for both comparisons), zone 4 vs. both 10 and 11 o’clock sectors (r = .445 and .511, p = .004 and .001, respectively), zone 2 vs. both 6 and 7 o’clock sectors (r = .376 and .353; p = .017 and .025, respectively), zone 5 vs. 6 and 7 o’clock sectors (r = .393 and .451; p = .012 and .003, respectively). Frequency summary tables confirmed the strong association observed between visual field sensitivity thresholds in 10 and 11 o’clock sectors vs. visual field zones 3 and 4 as well as zones 1 and 2 vs. 6 and 7 o’clock sectors. Conclusions: Visual field defects in the arcuate regions of the central visual field correspond to decreased NFLT in anatomically corresponding regions of the peripapillary retina.
Keywords: visual fields • nerve fiber layer • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)