Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To determine if patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon are predisposed to the development of glaucoma. Methods: Thirty patients with Raynaud’s (mean age 53.3 years, SD 13.1) and 31 controls (mean age 52.5 years, SD 12.4) were examined. All patients and controls were required to attend for two visits. At the first visit, W–W perimetry was undertaken on both eyes of each patient with the HFA 750 Program 24–2 and the SITA–standard algorithm. The appearance of the optic disc was assessed by the HRTII and the contour line was demarcated by a single observer. At the second visit, a visual field examination was repeated and IOP was measured using the POBF on both eyes. Also at the second visit, PERGs were recorded in one eye using DTL electrodes and the Medelec Sapphire 4IIE averaging system at a transient state using high contrast, black and white checkerboard pattern subtending 16º x 24º, check size 19 mins, mean luminance 105 cd/m2 and was viewed at 80cm distance with the appropriate refractive correction. The stimulus was reversed at 4 times per second and 200 responses were averaged. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in Mean Defect from the visual fields at the second visit between the two groups for the right eye (p=0.197) and for the left eye (p=0.908). IOP was statistically different between groups only for the left eye (p<0.05) but not for the right eye (p=0.12). Moorfield’s regression classification from the HRTII was used to assess the optic discs. A ‘borderline’ in either or both eyes was exhibited in 46.7% of the Raynaud’s patients and 22.5% of the controls. One control exhibited ‘outside normal limits’. There was no statistically significant difference in PERG N35–P50 amplitudes (p=0.53) and P50–N95 amplitudes (p=0.564) between the Raynaud’s group and the control group. PERG P50 latency was statistically different between groups (p<0.05), however N35 latency (p=0.151) and N95 latency (p=0.398) were not statistically different between the groups. Conclusions: Patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon demonstrate glaucomatous characteristics and may be at increased risk of compromised visual function. Support: The Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association
Keywords: electroretinography: clinical • optic disc