Asymmetric Macular Structural Damage Is Associated With Relative Afferent Pupillary Defects in Patients With Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: We examined the relationship between relative afferent pupillary defects (RAPDs) and macular structural damage measured by macular thickness and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thickness in patients with glaucoma. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done of 106 glaucoma patients and 85 healthy individuals from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study. All subjects underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP) and optic nerve and macular imaging using Cirrus Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SDOCT). Glaucoma was defined as repeatable abnormal SAP or progressive glaucomatous changes on stereo photographs. Pupil responses were assessed using an automated pupillometer, which records the magnitude of RAPD (RAPD score), with additional RAPD scores recorded for each of a series of colored stimuli (blue, red, green, and yellow). The relationship between RAPD score and intereye differences (right minus left eye) in circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness, mGCIPL, macular thickness, and SAP mean deviation (MD), was examined using linear regression. RESULTS: There was fair correlation between RAPD score and asymmetric macular structural damage measured by intereye difference in mGCIPL thickness (R(2) = 0.285, P < 0.001). The relationship between RAPD score and intereye difference in macular thickness was weaker (R(2) = 0.167, P < 0.001). Intereye difference in cpRNFL thickness (R(2) = 0.350, P < 0.001) and SAP MD (R(2) = 0.594, P < 0.001) had stronger association with RAPD scores compared to intereye difference in mGCIPL and macular thickness. CONCLUSIONS: Objective assessment of pupillary responses using a pupillometer was associated with asymmetric macular structural damage in patients with glaucoma.

Fast Visual Field Progression Is Associated with Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between the rates of progressive visual field loss and the occurrence of depressive symptoms in patients with glaucoma followed over time. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 204 eyes of 102 patients with glaucomatous visual field defects on standard automated perimetry (SAP). METHODS: All patients had Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) questionnaires and visual field tests obtained over a mean follow-up time of 2.2±0.6 years. Change in depressive symptoms was assessed by calculating the difference between GDS scores at the last follow-up visit from those at baseline. Rates of visual field loss were assessed by SAP. An integrated binocular visual field was estimated from the monocular SAP tests, and rates of change in mean sensitivity (MS) over time were obtained from linear mixed models. Regression models were used to investigate the association between progressive visual field loss and changes in depressive symptoms, adjusting for potentially confounding clinical and socioeconomic variables. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The association between rates of change in binocular SAP MS and change in GDS questionnaire scores. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between change in the GDS scores during follow-up and change in binocular SAP sensitivity. Each 1 decibel (dB)/year change in binocular SAP MS was associated with a change of 2.0 units in the GDS scores during the follow-up period (P = 0.025). In a multivariable model adjusting for baseline disease severity, change in visual acuity, age, gender, race, Montreal Cognitive Assessment score, education, income, and comorbidity index, each 1 dB/year change in binocular SAP MS was associated with a change of 3.0 units in the GDS score (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Faster visual field progression was associated with the occurrence of depressive symptoms in patients with glaucoma.

The Impact of Location of Progressive Visual Field Loss on Longitudinal Changes in Quality of Life of Patients with Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between rates of progressive loss in different regions of the visual field and longitudinal changes in quality of life (QoL). DESIGN: Prospective, observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 236 patients with glaucomatous visual field loss followed for an average of 4.3±1.5 years. METHODS: All subjects had the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) performed annually and standard automated perimetry (SAP) at 6-month intervals. Subjects were included if they had a minimum of 2 NEI VFQ-25 and 5 SAP tests during follow-up. Evaluation of rates of visual field change was performed using 4 different regions (central inferior, central superior, peripheral inferior, and peripheral superior) of the integrated binocular visual field. The association between change in NEI VFQ-25 Rasch-calibrated scores and change in different regions of the visual field was investigated with a joint multivariable longitudinal linear mixed model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The relationship between change in QoL scores and change of mean sensitivity in different regions of the visual field. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between change in the NEI VFQ-25 Rasch scores during follow-up and change in different regions of the visual field. Each 1 decibel (dB)/year change in binocular mean sensitivity of the central inferior area was associated with a decline of 2.6 units/year in the NEI VFQ-25 scores (R(2) = 35%; P < 0.001). Corresponding associations with change in QoL scores for the peripheral inferior, central superior, and peripheral superior areas of the visual field had R(2) values of 30%, 24%, and 19%, respectively. The association for the central inferior visual field area was statistically significantly stronger than those of the central superior area (P = 0.011) and peripheral superior area (P = 0.001), but not the peripheral inferior area (P = 0.171). Greater declines in NEI VFQ-25 scores were also seen in patients who had worse visual field sensitivity at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Progressive decline in sensitivity in the central inferior area of the visual field had the strongest association with longitudinal decline in QoL of patients with glaucoma.