[Simple rapid contrast sensitivity test in diagnosis of glaucoma].
BACKGROUND
Psychophysical tests employing high-frequency stimuli are becoming of increasing value in glaucoma diagnosis. In the present study a simple, quick, and sensitive flicker test is described which can be used as an screening examination for glaucoma.


METHODS
A flicker test is described which uses a white sinusoidally flickering light presented at 37.1 Hz in a ganzfeld bowl under photopic conditions (ca 10 cd/m2. Fication is not necessary. The modulation (temporal contrast) of the flicker light is varied in small steps until flicker threshold is reached. The reciprocal of the threshold value represents the temporal contrast sensitivity. The test takes only about 5 min per eye.


RESULTS
69 eyes of 69 normals, 60 eyes of 60 ocular hypertensive (OHT), and 50 eyes of 50 patients with primary open angle glaucoma were statistically evaluated. The validation of the sensitivity in both eyes was 75.6% and the specificity was 85.9%. 41.7% of the OHT patients were classified as pathologic.


CONCLUSIONS
Thus, the ganzfeld flicker test is a simple and quick (5 min) additional screening test in glaucoma.
Korth
M
M
DFG Klinische Forschergruppe Glaukome (Na 55/6-1), Univ. Erlangen-Nürnberg.
Horn
F
F
Martus
P
P
D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005425:Flicker Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011601:Psychophysics; D012016:Reference Values; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology
Einfacher zeitlicher Kontrastempfindlichkeits-Test in der Glaukom-Diagnostik.