Comparison of peripapillary atrophy in eyes with unilateral visual field defect in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and normal tension glaucoma

Abstract

To evaluate the difference of the peripapillary atrophy between two eyes of unilateral visual field defect in each of patient with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG). This study included 40 eyes with unilateral visual field defect in patients with POAG (20 cases) and NTG (20 cases). Color stereo optic disc photographs were morphometrically evaluated by a video camera and a computer system. The refractive range (spherical equivalent) of all these subjects was between -3.00D and +3.00D. The cup areas (CA) and cup/disc areas (CA/DA) in eyes with visual field defect were significantly larger than in eyes with normal visual field (CA: t=5.332, P<0.01; CA/DA: t=5.126, P<0.01). The alpha zone areas (alphaA) of PPA were significantly enlarged in visual field defect eyes compared with visual field normal eyes (t=3.02, P=0.0045), while there is no significant difference in beta-zone area (betaA) between two eyes. (S=13.5, P=0.426). The frequency of the PPA (alpha-zone and beta-zone) occurrence were also similar in both eyes. (alphaA: chi(2)=0.00, P=1.000; betaA: chi(2)=1.2857, P=0.2568). The results suggest that either beta-zone area or the presence of PPA is not closely correlated to the visual field defect in POAG and NTG patients with exclusion of moderate or high myopia.