advertisement
Abstract #6048 Published in IGR 2-2
Reduced recovery of temporal contract sensitivity after flicker stress in patients with glaucoma
Cursiefen C; Horn F; Jünemann AGM; Korth MJournal of Glaucoma 2000; 9: 296-302
PURPOSE: To compare recovery of temporal contrast sensitivity after flicker stress between control subjects and patients with glaucoma. METHODS: Forty-three patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and secondary open-angle or normal-tension glaucoma from the Erlangen Glaucoma Registry and 30 healthy control subjects had their temporal contrast sensitivity measured at 37 Hz and their recovery time determined after monocular exposure to 30 seconds of 58% contrast full-field flicker. Recovery time of temporal contrast sensitivity was measured as the time interval from cessation of flicker until twice the threshold value was reached. RESULTS: Patients with glaucoma had a significant reduction in temporal contrast sensitivity (p < 0.001). Recovery time was also significantly longer in patients with glaucoma (23.8 ± 24.1 seconds) than in control subjects (7.6 ± 2.6 seconds; p < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between recovery time and mean visual field defect (0.5; p < 0.001) and a significant negative correlation between recovery time and neuroretinal rim area of the optic disc (0.32; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Recovery of temporal contrast sensitivity after flicker stress is impaired in some patients with glaucoma. This might be the result of functional impairment of the upper retina, outer retina, or both in glaucoma.
Dr. C. Cursiefen, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
Classification:
6.6.3 Special methods (e.g. color, contrast, SWAP etc.) (Part of: 6 Clinical examination methods > 6.6 Visual field examination and other visual function tests)
