Abstract
Perimetry is the standard examination in glaucoma, whereas contrast sensitivity is often proposed as a complementary test. This study investigates the extent to which the outcomes of the two tests correlate. One eye each of 44 glaucoma patients and 16 glaucoma suspects was tested with the Haag-Streit Visometer and the Octopus 201 perimeter (program G1). Contrast sensitivities correlated highest with the center of the visual field (Spearman's rho = 0.76;P < 0.001) and slightly less with the mean sensitivity of the entire visual field (rho = 0.63;P < 0.001). Mean contrast sensitivity correlated weakly with the square root of corrected loss variance (rho= −0.45;P < 0.001) and short-term fluctuation (rho = −0.34;P < 0.007). The two tests differed considerably only in very few patients. We recommend careful evaluation of the central area of glaucomatous visual fields whenever contrast sensitivity testing is not available.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arden GB, Jacobson JJ (1978) A simple grating test for contrast sensitivity: preliminary results indicate value in screening for glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 17:23–32
Drance SM (1985) The early structural and functional disturbances of chronic open-angle glaucoma. Robert N Shaffer Lecture. Ophthalmology 92:853–857
Drance SM, Airaksinen PJ, Price M, Schulzer M, Douglas GR, Transley B (1987) The use of psychophysical, structural, and electrodiagnostic parameters to identify glaucomatous damage. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 225:365–368
Flammer J (1986) The concept of visual field indices. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 224:389–392
Flammer J, Drance SM, Augustiny L, Funkhouser F (1985) Quantification of glaucomatous visual field defects with automated perimetry. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 26:176–181
Flammer J, Jenni F, Bebie H, Keller B (1987) The OCTOPUS glaucoma program G1. Glaucoma 9:67–72
Friberg TR, Sanborn GE, Budd R (1987) Contrast sensitivity versus static visual field testing during experimental elevation of introcular pressure. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 227:345–347
Hitchings RA, Powell DJ, Arden GB, Carter RM (1981) Contrast sensitivity gratings in glaucoma family screening. Br J Ophthalmol 65:515–517
Isomatsu Y (1985) Contrast visual acuity in primary open-angle glaucoma. Jpn J Clin Ophthalmol 39:633–636
Korth M, Horn F, Storck B, Jonas JB (1989) Spatial and spatiotemporal contrast sensitivity of normal and glaucoma eyes. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 227:428–435
Lotmar W (1980) Apparatus for the measurement of retinal visual acuity by moiré fringes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 19:393–400
Lundt BL (1985) Central contrast sensitivity test in the detection of early glaucoma. Acta Ophthahnol Copenh 63:481–486
Motolko MA, Phelps CD (1984) Contrast sensitivity in asymmetric glaucoma. International Ophthalmol 7:45–50
Rönne H (1909) Über das Gesichtsfeld beim Glaukom. Min Monatsbl Augenheilkd 47:12–33
Ross JE, Bron AJ, Clarke DD (1984) Contrast sensitivity and visual disability in chronic simple glaucoma. Br J Ophthalmol 68:821–827
Sample PA, Weinreb RN, Boynton RN (1986) Acquired dyschromatopsia glaucoma. Surv Ophthalmol 31:54–64
Stamper RL (1985) The effect of glaucoma on central visual function. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc 82:792–826
Stamper RL (1989) Psychophysical changes in glaucoma. Surv Ophthalmol [Suppl] 33:309–318
Tagami Y, Onuma T, Mizokami K, Isayama Y (1981) Comparison spatial contrast sensitivity with visual field in optic neuropathy and glaucoma. Doc Ophthalmol Proc Ser 26:147–154
Teoh SL, Allan D, Dutton GN, Foulds WS (1990) Brightness discrimination and contrast sensitivity in chronic glaucoma — a clinical study. Br J Ophthalmol 74:215–219
Zulauf M, Flammer J, Chrenkova A, Signer C, Lotmar W, Wetterwald N (1984) Der Einfluß der Streifenrichtung von Interferenzmustern auf die Kontrastempfmdlichkeit bei weißem und farbigem Licht. Kl Monatsbl Augenheilkd 184:394–396
Zulauf M, Hammer J, Signer C (1988) Spatial brightness contrast sensitivity measured with white, green, red, and blue light. Ophthalmologica 196:43–48
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Mario Zulauf is a visiting research scientist at the Yale Eye Center, supported by the Florian Verry Foundation, Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Swiss National Fund.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zulauf, M., Flammer, J. Correlation of spatial contrast sensitivity and visual fields in glaucoma. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 231, 146–150 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00920937
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00920937