Automated perimetry in detecting threats to fixation.
OBJECTIVE
To study in glaucoma patients the threat to fixation on a Humphrey field analyzer program 10-2 when one of the four innermost paracentral points is defective on program 30-2.


METHODS
Forty-five eyes of 45 patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma in whom at least one of the innermost four defective paracentral points was reproducibly defective on program 30-2 of the Humphrey perimeter, with a size 3 target, on two consecutive tests, were studied with program 10-2.


RESULTS
Of the 45 eyes with an abnormal paracentral point of program 30-2, 30 (66%) also showed involvement of a paracentral point on program 10-2, which was considered a threat to fixation. The remaining 15 were considered not to threaten fixation imminently.


CONCLUSIONS
In about one third of glaucomatous fields considered to threaten fixation on the standard programs 30-2 and 24-2, the threat was not imminent. The extra evaluation is therefore useful before making radical and precipitous changes in management of the disease.
Zhang
L
L
Department of Ophthalmology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Drance
S M
SM
Douglas
G R
GR
D002908:Chronic Disease; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012607:Scotoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology