Characteristics of Visual Field Defects in Korean Advanced Glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose: We investigated the clinical characteristics of visual field (VF) defects in Korean advanced glaucoma patients.Methods: The present study included 109 eyes of 109 advanced glaucoma patients whose mean deviation (MD) is under -12 dB. The subjects were classified into primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG) group. Average numeric decibel in each VF points were visualized with color topographic image and dot graph image using python 3.5. VF was divided into four quadrants or two half fields, and the differences in the degree of VF defects in each locations were assessed with raw decibel data. Additionally, mean sensitivity of central 12 points were compared between the two groups.Results: Generally the features of VF defects were severely depressed VF sensitivity at the superonasal quadrant and relatively preserved central area and inferotemporal quadrant in both of the glaucoma groups. But we found the extent of deflection for VF defect in the NTG eyes was higher than that of the POAG eyes (p < 0.05). The POAG eyes tended to show more diffuse and evenly distributed VF defect, whereas NTG eyes tended to have more severely depressed VF at the superonasal quadrant and relatively preserved VF at the inferotemporal quadrant. There was no significant difference in the degree of central VF defects between the two groups.Conclusions: The characteristics of VF defect in Korean advanced glaucoma revealed different features based on the glaucoma diagnosis. The POAG eyes tended to show diffuse VF defects, whereas NTG eyes tended to have more severely depressed VF sensitivity at the superonasal quadrant and relatively preserved VF at the inferotemporal quadrant.