Abstract
Purpose :
To objectively assess visual field (VF) defects and retinal cell function in healthy subjects and patients with retinal degeneration and glaucoma using a chromatic multifocal pupillometer.
Methods :
Pupillary responses (PR) to red and blue light presented at 54 different locations of a 24-degree visual field (VF) were determined in 40 age-matched controls, 12 retinitis pigmentosa and 12 glaucoma patients. Blue and red light stimuli (peak 485 nm and 624 nm, respectively) were presented at light intensities of 170, 1000 cd /m2 , respectively. Fifteen parameters of the PR were evaluated including maximal percentage of pupil contraction (PPC), maximal velocity and acceleration of pupil contraction and dilation and their latencies. Patient's PR were compared to their subjective VF testing (Humphrey 24-2) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings.
Results :
Retinitis pigmentosa patients presented significantly diminished pupil response to blue and red light in areas that were abnormal by subjective perimetry. In these areas, PCP and maximal contraction velocity were lower than 3 standard errors away from the mean of controls. By contrast Glaucoma patients demonstrated significantly lower PCP and maximal velocity and acceleration of pupil contraction in responses to blue light throughout the visual field and longer latencies in areas that were abnormal by the Humphrey perimetry.
Conclusions :
This study demonstrated the feasibility of using chromatic multifocal pupilloperimetry for identification of defects in visual pathways in different locations of the retina associated with VF defects due to retinal and optic nerve degeneration. Different parameters of PR to chromatic multifocal stimuli may clarify the pathophysiology of different neurodegeneration diseases.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.