Diffuse loss of sensitivity in early glaucoma. (1/64)
PURPOSE: To establish whether there is significant diffuse loss of sensitivity in a population of patients with early glaucoma. METHODS: The differential light sensitivities at the 10 most sensitive locations from within the central 24 degrees of program 30-2 of the Humphrey Field Analyzer (Humphrey Instruments, San Leandro, CA) were compared in 38 pairs of age-matched subjects, one of each pair with early primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and the other with normal eyes. All subjects had had experience with automated perimetry and had clear media, visual acuity of 20/25 or better, and one or fewer false-positive or false-negative responses to catch trials. RESULTS: The mean difference in age between the subjects with glaucoma and normal subjects was 29 days (P = 0.44, maximum 1.42 years). The mean paired difference in pupil size was 0.16 mm (P = 0.26), and visual acuity was higher in the glaucoma-affected subjects (P = 0.044). The 10 highest sensitivity measurements in the POAG-affected subjects were found to be lower by a median of between 1.0 and 2.0 dB than those in the normal pair members (0.0001+info)