Short-wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP) has been claimed to predict conversion to glaucoma 3 to 4 years before standard automated perimetry (SAP) defects occur. This study compared the moment of ...glaucomatous conversion between SWAP and SAP.
Prospective, longitudinal follow-up study.
Four hundred sixteen subjects with ocular hypertension (intraocular pressure >/=22 and </=32 mmHg and normal visual fields).
A Humphrey Field Analyzer (24-2 program; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) was used to perform both SWAP and SAP. All participants were tested once every half year during 7 to 10 years or until the onset of conversion (study end point). The conversion to glaucoma was defined as a reproducible glaucomatous visual field defect in SAP.
The moment of onset of a reproducible defect in SAP was compared with that in SWAP.
Of the 416 initial participants, 24 eyes of 21 subjects showed conversion in SAP. Of these eyes, 22 did not show earlier conversion in SWAP than in SAP. Standard automated perimetry even showed earlier conversion than SWAP in 15 cases. In only 2 eyes did SWAP show earlier conversion by up to 18 months.
These results do not support the notion that SWAP generally predicts conversion to glaucoma in SAP. Instead, SAP appears to be at least as sensitive to conversion as SWAP in a large majority of eyes.
The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Background
Patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) are valuable supplements in regular care to facilitate routine monitoring of quality of life from the patient’s perspective. The 25‐item National ...Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI‐VFQ‐25) is a widely used PROM in ophthalmology. However, the NEI‐VFQ‐25 is too time‐consuming and cumbersome for routine evaluations in regular care. The aim of this study is to construct a 7‐item questionnaire of which only 3 items are presented to the patient, by means of routing. This VFQ 3 out of 7 (VFQ‐3oo7) should have a minimal loss of information compared with the NEI‐VFQ‐25.
Methods
An historical database including 3293 administrations of the NEI‐VFQ‐25 was constructed involving patients with retinal detachment, cataract, corneal diseases, glaucoma, macular degeneration, uveal melanoma and a normal population sample. The data were subjected to Rasch analyses, in particular a generalized partial credit model. Items were sorted on the latent trait and divided into seven categories. From each category, the item with the highest discriminative value was selected. Through routing, only three out of the seven remaining questions are used, where the answers navigate patients to a fitting trait level.
Results
A one‐dimensional structure was considered fitting. The VFQ‐3oo7 showed a small loss of information compared with the total score of the NEI‐VFQ‐25: correlation 0.927 and a relative precision of 0.868.
Conclusion
The very short, but valid, VFQ‐3oo7 can be applied to evaluate the patient's perceived vision‐related health status in routine evaluations of treatments in regular care, with a small burden for patients.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Purpose
To determine whether the postoperative corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) differs between glaucoma patients who underwent Baerveldt implant (BGI) surgery and patients who underwent a ...trabeculectomy (TE) over 5 years ago.
Methods
Cross‐sectional, observational study including 34 patients who underwent TE and 36 patients who underwent BGI surgery 5–11 years ago, as part of a randomized clinical trial. None of the patients had a history of intraocular surgery prior to their glaucoma surgery. Central and peripheral ECD was measured by using a non‐contact specular microscope.
Results
Central and peripheral ECD in the TE group was 2285 ± 371 cells/mm2 (mean ± SD) and 2463 ± 476 cells/mm2, respectively. Central and peripheral ECD in the BGI group was 1813 ± 745 cells/mm2 and 1876 ± 764 cells/mm2, respectively. The central and peripheral ECD was statistically significantly higher in the TE group than in the BGI group (p = 0.001 for both). Additional intraocular surgical interventions were more prevalent in the BGI group (23) than in the TE group (5) (p < 0.001). In a subanalysis, without eyes that had undergone additional surgical interventions, only the peripheral ECD was statistically significantly higher in the TE group compared with the BGI group (p = 0.011). For the BGI group, a longer postoperative period resulted in a lower central ECD (r = −0.614, p = 0.004).
Conclusion
Long‐term ECD in eyes that underwent a BGI was considerably lower compared with eyes that underwent a TE, mainly in the peripheral cornea. This suggests that BGI causes a larger decrease of ECD than TE. Additionally, the decrease after BGI appears to continue for a longer period than after TE.
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PurposeAccurate assessment of visual field (VF) trend may help clinicians devise the optimum treatment regimen. This study was conducted to investigate the behavior of VF sequences using pointwise ...and region-wise linear, exponential, and sigmoid regression models. Materials and MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study, 277 eyes of 139 patients with glaucoma who had been followed for at least 7 years were investigated. Linear, exponential, and sigmoid regression models were fitted for each VF test location and Glaucoma Hemifield Test (GHT) region to model the trend of VF loss. The model with the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) was selected as the best fit. ResultsThe mean age (standard deviation SD) of the patients was 59.9 years (9.8) with a mean follow-up time of 9.3 (0.7) years. The exponential regression had the best fit based on pointwise and region-wise approaches in 39.3% and 38.1% of eyes, respectively. The results showed a better performance based on sigmoid regression in patients with initial VF sensitivity threshold greater than 22 dB (71.6% in pointwise and 62.2% in region-wise approaches). The overall RMSE of the region-wise regression model was lower than the overall RMSE of the pointwise model. ConclusionsIn the current study, nonlinear regression models showed a better fit compared to the linear regression models in tracking VF loss behavior. Moreover, findings suggest region-wise analysis may provide a more appropriate approach for assessing VF deterioration. Translational RelevanceFindings may confirm a nonlinear progression of VF deterioration in patients with glaucoma.
Purpose. To investigate transient focal microcystic retinoschisis in glaucomatous eyes in images obtained with several imaging techniques used in daily glaucoma care. Methods. Images of 117 glaucoma ...patients and 91 healthy subjects participating in a large prospective follow-up study into glaucoma imaging were reviewed. Participants were measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), scanning laser polarimetry (SLP), scanning laser tomography (SLT), and standard automated perimetry (SAP). The presence of a focal retinoschisis in SD-OCT was observed and correlated to SLP, SLT, and SAP measurements, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Results. Seven out of 117 glaucoma patients showed a transient, localised, peripapillary, heterogeneous microcystic schisis of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and sometimes other retinal layers as well in SD-OCT. None of the healthy eyes showed this phenomenon nor did any of the other imaging techniques display it as detailed and consistently as did the SD-OCT. SAP showed a temporarily decreased focal retinal sensitivity during the retinoschisis and we found no signs of glaucomatous progression related to the retinoschisis. Conclusions. Transient microcystic retinoschisis appears to be associated with glaucomatous wedge defects in the RNFL. It was best observed with SD-OCT and it was absent in healthy eyes. We found no evidence that the retinoschisis predicted glaucomatous progression.
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While safe and effective treatments for glaucoma exist, their effectiveness is compromised by poor compliance. Patients who have problems with their topical glaucoma medication are acknowledged to be ...at higher risk for poor compliance, frequent medication switching, and surgery. Patient satisfaction with therapy and its associated benefits have until recently taken second place to efficacy. The present study is a transverse cross-sectional epidemiological survey among glaucoma patients receiving therapy with prostaglandin analogs. The primary objective was to determine and characterize patient satisfaction with glaucoma therapy, and the secondary objective was to identify factors that may contribute to poor patient satisfaction. Ophthalmologists in the Netherlands included 199 patients and 164 were analyzed. Patients were predominantly elderly with early, primary, open angle glaucoma. Eighty-nine percent of them stated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their treatment. However, signs of ocular surface disorder on ophthalmological examination were evident in 44% of patients, corneal fluorescein staining was positive in 28% of patients, and 38% of patients were using tear substitutes. The prevalence of blepharitis/meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye was more than twice as high after the commencement of therapy compared with before therapy. Univariate analysis revealed that patient dissatisfaction with their glaucoma therapy was statistically significantly (P<0.001) associated with the presence of ocular surface disease, hyperemia, ocular signs, symptoms upon and between instillation, and the use of tear substitutes. Apparently, patients in the present study are satisfied with their treatment; 89% expressed satisfaction compared with only 11% who professed dissatisfaction. The results suggest that even if local adverse events and ocular surface disease, in particular, contribute to glaucoma patient dissatisfaction, only a minority of patients expressed such dissatisfaction. At the time of the study, most (94%) of the patients included were receiving preserved preparations. Further studies should evaluate the influence of preservative on patient satisfaction.
Purpose
Primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) has been reported to occur more frequently in Africans, and to follow a more severe course compared to Europeans. We aimed to describe characteristics of ...POAG presentation and treatment across three ethnic groups from Africa and one from Europe.
Methods
We ascertained 151 POAG patients from South African Coloured (SAC) and 94 South African Black (SAB) ethnicity from a university hospital in South Africa. In Tanzania, 310 patients were recruited from a university hospital and a referral hospital. In the Netherlands, 241 patients of European ancestry were included. All patients were over 35 years old and had undergone an extensive ophthalmic examination. Patients were diagnosed according to the ISGEO criteria. A biogeographic ancestry analysis was performed to estimate the proportion of genetic African ancestry (GAA).
Results
The biogeographic ancestry analysis showed that the median proportion of GAA was 97.6% in Tanzanian, 100% in SAB, 34.2% in SAC and 1.5% in Dutch participants. Clinical characteristics at presentation for Tanzanians, SAB, SAC and Dutch participants, respectively: mean age: 63, 57, 66, 70 years (p < 0.001); visual acuity in the worse eye: 1.78, 1.78, 0.3, 0.3 LogMAR (p < 0.001); maximum intraocular pressure of both eyes: 36, 34, 29, 29 mmHg (panova < 0.001); maximum vertical cup to disc ratio (VCDR) of both eyes: 0.90, 0.90, 0.84, 0.83 (p < 0.001); mean central corneal thickness: 506, 487, 511, 528 μm (p < 0.001). Fourteen percent of Tanzanian patients presented with blindness (<3/60 Snellen) in the better eye in contrast to only 1% in the Dutch.
Conclusion
In this multi‐ethnic comparative study, Sub‐Saharan Africans present at a younger age with lower visual acuity, higher IOP, larger VCDR, than SAC and Dutch participants. This indicates the more progressive and destructive course in Sub‐Saharan Africans.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Purpose
To investigate the effect of two surgical techniques in primary Baerveldt glaucoma implant (BGI) surgery, that is the sutured technique and the unsutured (free) plate technique, on the ocular ...motility and prevalence of diplopia. We hypothesize that the free plate technique results in a lower diplopia prevalence.
Methods
We performed a prospective study of patients who underwent BGI surgery with the free plate technique and compared them with patients from a previous study who had undergone BGI surgery with the sutured technique. Their ductions, ocular alignment and fusion range and the prevalence of diplopia were measured before surgery and at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively.
Results
We analysed 57 free plate and 51 sutured plate patients. One year postoperatively, we found no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of diplopia between the two techniques. All duction changes between baseline and 1‐year follow‐up were restrictions and occurred statistically significantly more frequently in the free plate than in the sutured plate group (p = 0.03; 60% versus 34%). About the ocular alignment, in the horizontal direction, a change in exodirection was more common in both groups, while in the vertical direction, a hyperdeviation of the operated eye was more common. The vertical ocular alignment change was smaller in the free plate group than in the sutured plate group (p = 0.04 at near and p = 0.02 at distance).
Conclusions
One year postoperatively, the prevalence of diplopia was not significantly different between patients with the sutured plate and patients with the free plate technique. Both surgical techniques induce diplopia and changes in ocular motility and/or in ocular alignment.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Is a pillow a risk factor for glaucoma? Meurs, Ida A.; Thepass, Gijs; Stuij, Arthur A. ...
Acta ophthalmologica,
December 2018, Volume:
96, Issue:
8
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Purpose
To study whether a clinically significant increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) occurs during simulated sleep conditions with the subject's head turned comfortably into a pillow (the ...simulated sleep position) and the effect of protective glasses on any such IOP rise.
Methods
A specially developed electronic epipalpebral pressure (EPP) sensor was attached to an eyelid of the right eye of all participants: 11 patients with primary open‐angle glaucoma and 11 healthy volunteers. During calibration, mechanical pressure was applied to the EPP sensor taped to the lower eyelid and the IOP was measured simultaneously at the slit lamp by Goldmann applanation tonometry. The EPP was increased in a stepwise fashion to assess the relationship between EPP and IOP for each individual eye. Thereafter, EPP (with the sensor now taped to the upper eyelid) measurements were performed in the simulated sleep position, both with and without protective glasses. The EPP was determined in each individual eye, and the estimated IOP was then inferred from the established EPP/IOP relationship.
Results
In the simulated sleep position, the mean IOP increased by an estimated 19.6 mmHg (SD: 7.5; range 11.6–32.8; p < 0.0001) in the patient group and 28.0 mmHg (SD: 9.6; range 12.3–41.1); p < 0.0001) in the control group. When the subjects wore protective glasses, the mean estimated IOP decreased again by 16.3 mmHg (SD: 5.6; range 9.8–28.1; p < 0.0001) in the patient group and 25.1 mmHg (SD: 8.2; range 11.7–38.3; p = <0.0001) in the control group.
Conclusion
Turning the head into a pillow gave a large and clinically significant increase in the estimated IOP in the simulated sleep position. With protective glasses, however, the increase in estimated IOP was almost absent. Therefore, protective shielding of the eyes during sleep may be a treatment option in glaucoma.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Purpose:
In eye movement perimetry, peripheral stimuli are confirmed by goal-directed eye movements toward the stimulus. The saccadic reaction time (SRT) is regarded as an index of visual field ...responsiveness, whereas in standard automated perimetry (SAP), the visual field sensitivity is tested. We investigated the relation between visual field sensitivity and responsiveness in corresponding locations of the visual field in healthy controls and in patients with mild, moderate and advanced glaucoma.
Materials and Methods:
Thirty-four healthy control subjects and 42 glaucoma patients underwent a 54-point protocol in eye movement perimetry (EMP) and a 24-2 SITA standard protocol in a Humphrey Field Analyzer. The visual field points were stratified by total deviation sensitivity loss in SAP into 6 strata. A generalized linear mixed model was applied to determine the influence of the various factors.
Results:
The generalized linear mixed model showed that the mean SRT increased with increasing glaucoma severity, from 479 ms in the control eyes to 678 ms in the eyes of patients with advanced glaucoma (
p
< 0.001). Mean SRTs significantly increased with increasing SAP sensitivity loss. Even at the locations where no sensitivity loss was detected by SAP (total deviation values greater or equal than 0 dB), we found lengthened SRTs in mild, moderate and advanced glaucoma compared to healthy controls (
p
< 0.05) and in moderate and advanced glaucoma compared to mild glaucoma (
p
< 0.05). At locations with total deviation values between 0 and −3 dB, −3 and −6 dB and −6 and −12 dB, we found similar differences.
Conclusions:
The lengthened SRT in areas with normal retinal sensitivities in glaucomatous eyes, i.e., planning and execution of saccades to specific locations, precede altered sensory perception as assessed with SAP. Better understanding of altered sensory processing in glaucoma might allow earlier diagnosis of emerging glaucoma.
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