Evaluation of Contrast Sensitivity, Chromatic Vision, and Reading Ability in Patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Purpose. To compare contrast sensitivity, acquired color vision deficiency, and reading ability in patients with glaucoma at different stages of the disease and to establish correlations between visual field parameters and visual function scores. Methods. This prospective cross-sectional study included 121 glaucoma patients. Subjects with a diagnosis of chronic open angle glaucoma were recruited and classified according to Hodapp-Parrish-Anderson criteria. Patients with severe visual field defects were excluded because they were older, which could bias the interpretation of visual function tests. Contrast sensitivity was measured using the Pelli-Robson Chart and the CSV1000E test. Chromatic vision was evaluated using the Farnsworth-panel D15 and the L''Anthony D15 tests of Vision Color Recorder software. Reading ability was measured using Radner-Vissum test. Results. Contrast sensitivity (with photopic and mesopic luminance with glare) differed significantly between patients with early and moderate visual field defects (p < 0.05). Reading ability scores and results of the chromatic vision tests did not differ significantly between the two groups. Significant and moderate Spearman correlations between visual field indexes and contrast sensitivity tests were detected. Conclusions. Contrast sensitivity was significantly worse in patients with moderate glaucoma compared to those with early-stage glaucoma. Evaluation of visual function in clinical practice provides important information to address a glaucoma patient''s vision complaints

Utilidad del nuevo software MultiColor de SPECTRALIS® en la identificación de defectos de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina

La fotografía de fibras clásica, usada tradicionalmente para identificar defectos en la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina (CFNR), tiene un uso limitado debido a la necesidad de un equipo fotográfico específico y un técnico experto en la adquisición de esta clase de imágenes. El nuevo módulo MultiColor de la tomografía de coherencia óptica (OCT) SPECTRALIS®, utilizando 3 longitudes de onda diferentes simultáneamente, es capaz de proporcionar imágenes en las que se identifican las estructuras de la retina en diferente color según su profundidad. Nos propusimos realizar un pequeño estudio de concordancia para determinar la utilidad del nuevo software MultiColor frente a la fotografía de fibras tradicional en la identificación de defectos en la CFNR. La concordancia interobservador en la interpretación de imágenes MultiColor fue buena (¿ = 0, 746; p < 0, 001); y se consiguieron identificar con MultiColor en torno al 70% de pacientes con glaucoma leve. Consideramos que el nuevo software MultiColor resulta útil en la evaluación de defectos de la CFNR, y es sencillo de realizar. The classical fibre photography traditionally used to identify defects in the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), has been partially discontinued due to poor availability. The new MultiColour module of SPECTRALIS® Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), using three different laser wavelengths simultaneously, can provide images that identify the structures of the retina in different colours according to their depth. A small concordance study was conducted to determine the usefulness of the new MultiColour software versus traditional fibre photography in identifying RNFL defects. The inter-observer agreement in the interpretation of MultiColour images was good (¿=.746; P<.001), as by using Multicolour they were able to identify around 70% of patients with mild glaucoma. It is believed that the new Multicolour software is useful in evaluating RNFL defects, and is easy to perform