ABSTRACT
Purpose The purpose of the study is to assess whether standard automated perimetry (SAP) was capable of detecting early neuroretinal changes by comparing foveal sensitivity in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Settings and design This is an observational and cross-sectional study that compared foveal sensitivity between a case group of 47 subjects with no or mild-to-moderate diabetic retinopathy (DR) without maculopathy and a control group of 43 healthy subjects. Materials and Methods After a thorough ocular examination, all patients were put through tests using a Humphrey visual field analyzer with the Swedish interactive threshold algorithm (SITA) standard system (10-2 software). The primary indicator of success was the age-adjusted foveal awareness-esteem difference. Mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) readings were the supplementary performance indicators. Results The mean age of the case and control group was 50.76 ± 13.20 years and 49.90 ± 12.20 years, respectively. The probability of cataract development was higher in the case group (p < 0.0001). In the control group, 95.3% had best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the category of good visual acuity (VA) (p < 0.0001). The mean foveal sensitivity in the case group was 28.57 ± 7.54 and 32.16 ± 7.09 for the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.023). The mean of MD in the case group was -6.05 ± 7.93, whereas in the control group, it was -3.28 ± 1.70, which was found significant (p = 0.027). There was no difference in PSD between the study groups. Conclusions Foveal sensitivity decreased in diabetics, even without maculopathy, so SAP helps identify a patient at risk of future vision loss.
