RESUMO
To investigate effect of glaucoma on contrast sensitivity and to assess the relationship between contrast sensitivity and visual field loss in patients of primary open angle glaucoma. Cross-sectional case series. 24 patients from glaucoma department at the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi were evaluated. Subjects with diagnosis of glaucoma having visual acuity 6/12 or better were recruited. Visual acuity was measured using the standard Snellen Acuity chart at 6m. Contrast sensitivity was measured using the Pelli- Robson Chart .Visual fields of the patients were analyzed using the 30-2 full threshold program on the Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer. A total of 46 eyes were studied of 24 patients. Out of which male patients were 67% and females were 37%. The Pelli- Robson contrast sensitivity score correlated more strongly with the MD of the visual fields[r=-0.615, P<0.001]. For the PSD of the visual fields, the correlation was r=-0.453, P=0.003. Reduced contrast sensitivity is significantly correlated with visual field loss in patients with primary open angle glaucoma. The study data supports the conclusion that the disease process affects contrast sensitivity