Clinical measures of central vision function in glaucoma and ocular hypertension
A. J. Adams, G. Heron and R. Husted
A generalized loss of visual sensitivity, even for foveal targets, has been
reported as an early sign of glaucoma. In the present study of central
vision, we used relatively simple and rapid clinical tests of color
thresholds, color discrimination, and spatial contrast sensitivity to
compare the vision of three age-matched groups of patients who had primary
open angle glaucoma (n = 33) or ocular hypertension (n = 32) as well as
normal subjects (n = 24). The largest sensitivity losses for both glaucoma
and ocular hypertensive groups were disclosed by a color threshold test
with blue lights designed to isolate the blue-sensitive pathways of the
visual system. The loss of sensitivity for both the glaucoma group and the
ocular hypertensive group is consistent with recent reports (from
postmortem studies of human eyes) of extensive axon death even in the
absence of glaucomatous field defects.
