Structure/function relationship in glaucoma with 3D perimetric stimuli
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving the structure/function relationship in glaucoma using perimetric stimuli scaled for spatial and temporal summation.
IRAS ID
167552
Contact name
Pádraig Mulholland
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Glaucoma is a condition characterised by the loss of nerve fibres from the back of the eye. This leads to the loss of off-centre (peripheral) vision and even blindness in its later stages. Visual field examination (perimetry) is central to the diagnosis and monitoring of vision loss in glaucoma. This test involves the patient viewing a central fixation spot and indicating that light spots presented at selected locations in the visual field are either ‘seen’ or ‘unseen’. In this manner a sensitivity map of the retina is produced. Current visual field tests where light spots vary only in brightness lack the sensitivity to detect glaucoma in its earliest stages. In addition, such tests of visual sensitivity are poorly related to changes in the structure of the eye found in glaucoma.
Previous work has shown that the sensitivity of perimetry to the effects of glaucoma can be improved by simply changing the presentation duration and area of the spot stimuli used. It is, however, currently unknown if measurements of visual sensitivity gained using such stimuli improve the relationship between perimetry tests and the degree of retinal damage due to glaucoma. In this study we intend to perform visual field tests with test targets of varying size and duration and compare the results with measures of retinal structure. These results will help to guide the selection of appropriate test targets for use in clinical perimetry tests so that changes in retinal structure due to glaucoma may be accurately and efficiently monitored.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0173
Date of REC Opinion
24 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion