UC San Diego

Purpose

Central visual field (VF) damage in glaucoma patients can significantly hinder daily activities. The present study investigates whether the presence of localized baseline damage to the central 10 degrees of the VF is predictive of faster global mean deviation (MD) progression.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Methods

Eyes from the multicenter African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES) with established glaucoma and VF loss and a minimum of 5 24-2 VFs were eligible. Baseline central 24-2 damage was defined as any of the 12 central-most points with total deviation (TD) values at P < 0.5% on 2 consecutive examinations. Progression was determined using trend-based and event-based criteria: (1) rates of MD change significantly faster than zero and (2) >-5 dB MD loss over the entire follow-up.

Results

A total of 827 eyes of 584 patients were studied. Mean rate of MD change of the entire sample was -0.15 dB/year (95% CI: -0.19 to -0.12, P < .001). Eyes with baseline central damage progressed faster than those without (difference: β_central = -0.07 dB/year, 95% CI: -0.11 to -0.01, P = .011) and were more likely to experience MD loss greater than 5 dB (hazard ratio = 3.0 [95% CI: 2.1-4.1, P < .001]). These differences remained significant after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion

The presence of central VF damage at baseline is significantly associated with more rapid global progression. Detection of central VF damage aids in stratification of high-risk patients who may need intensive surveillance and aggressive treatment.