Disc-fovea Angle Is Associated With Visual Field Defect Location in Patients With Glaucoma.

PRECIS

The current study showed that glaucomatous eyes from patients with central visual field defects presented less negative disc-fovea angle compared with patients with peripheral defects.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between disc-fovea angle and visual field defect location in patients with glaucoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study including glaucoma patients divided into isolated central and isolated peripheral scotoma groups. The main outcome measure was disc-fovea angle measurement between groups. Secondary outcomes included disc-fovea distance, vertical disc diameter, and fovea vertical deviation.

RESULTS

We included 50 glaucoma patients (50 eyes; 27 with central scotoma and 23 with peripheral scotoma). Mean deviation from visual fields was -3.05±1.67 and -2.95±1.49 dB (P=0.829) (central and peripheral scotoma groups, respectively). We found that eyes in the central group had lower values of disc-fovea angle (-5.85±2.67 vs. -7.97±2.26 degrees, P=0.004), shorter disc-fovea distance (4.38±0.70 vs. 4.98±0.78 mm, P=0.006), and shorter fovea vertical deviation (-0.43±0.19 vs. -0.68±0.22 mm, P<0.001) compared with eyes in the peripheral group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed an association between disc-fovea angle and central visual field defects in patients with glaucoma. Our findings suggest that eyes with a less negative disc-fovea angle should undergo a more careful investigation of the central visual field, even at early stages of the disease.