High-pass Resolution Perimetry and a Humphrey Field Analyzer as Indicators of Glaucomatous Optic Disc Abnormalities: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The "neural capacity (NC)" of high-pass resolution perimetry (HRP) may be correlated to the neuroretinal rim area of the optic disc. The authors compared HRP with conventional differential light sensitivity (DLS) perimetry in terms of correlation with glaucomatous optic disc changes. Thirty-seven eyes of 37 normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) patients were examined. The authors used an Ophthimus system for HRP and a Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) for DLS perimetry. The total rim area and the area of temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior quadrants were determined using a confocal laser tomographic scanner. Quadrant NC (QNC) was calculated using the resolution thresholds corresponding to a given quadrant. Quadrant mean deviation (QMD) was calculated from the total deviations of HFA. In all eyes, NC and MD showed significant correlations with total rim area (Spearman rank correlation coefficient [rs] = 0.375, P < 0.05 for NC; rs = 0.336, P < 0.05 for MD). A significant correlation was observed in 21 eyes with early visual field changes (rs = 0.469, P < 0.05), but not in 16 eyes with advanced visual field changes. Both QNC and QMD showed significant correlations with inferior rim area (rs = 0.575, P < 0.01 for QNC; rs = 0.431, P < 0.01 for QMD). However, no significant correlations were found between QNC or QMD and superior rim area. The NC may relate to glaucomatous optic disc changes better than does MD in NTG, especially in eyes with early-stage visual field changes.