Comparison of age-related changes in short-wavelength-sensitive cone thresholds between normals and patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the effect of aging upon short-wavelength-sensitive cone (S-cone) sensitivity for both normals and patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).


METHODS
S-cone thresholds were established for the detection of blue test spots on a bright yellow adapting background. Detection thresholds for combined medium- and long-wavelength-sensitive cones (M/L-cones) were also established for a yellow test spot upon a yellow background. A group of 177 normal subjects (age range 20 to 80 years) and 46 glaucoma subjects were examined.


RESULTS
The rate of decline of S-cone sensitivity with increasing age was found to be similar in patients with POAG and age-matched normals (approximately 0.2 log units/decade), although S-cone sensitivity in the POAG population was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that in age-matched normals by approximately 0.3 log units.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present investigation show an age-related decline in S-cone sensitivity for both normals and patients with POAG. The decline in S-cone sensitivity within the POAG population is similar to that occurring in normal subjects when the two populations are matched for age.
Gray
L S
LS
Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland.
Heron
G
G
Cassidy
D
D
Clark
G M
GM
Cowley
G R
GR
Gourlay
D M
DM
Ross
F M
FM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008875:Middle Aged; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology