Structural and functional assessment of the macular region in patients with glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the correlation of a structural measure of the macular area (optical coherence tomography (OCT)) with two functional measures (10-2 Humphrey visual field (HVF) and multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP)) of macular function.

Methods: 55 eyes with open-angle glaucoma were enrolled. The 10-2 HVF was defined as abnormal if clusters of ≥3 points with p<5%, one of which had p<1%, were present. The mfVEP was abnormal if probability plots had ≥2 adjacent points with p<1%, or ≥3 adjacent points with p<5% and at least one of these points with p<1%. Two criteria were used for the macular OCT: (I) ≥2 sectors with p<5% or 1 sector with p<1% and (II) 1 sector with p<5%.

Results: 54 of the 55 eyes showed an abnormal 10-2 HVF and 50 had central mfVEP defects. The two OCT criteria resulted in sensitivities of 85% and 91%. When both functional tests showed a defect (in 49 eyes), the OCT was abnormal in 45. For the OCT the outer and inner inferior regions were the most likely to be abnormal, and both functional techniques were most abnormal in the superior hemifield.

Conclusions: Good agreement exists between macular thickness and functional defects in patients with glaucoma. Study of the macular region may provide a quantitative measure for disease staging and monitoring.