[White-noise field campimetry in HIV+ patients].
OBJECTIVE
The first morphological changes in eyes with HIV infection are microvascular disease of the retina with cotton-wool spots and microaneurysms. The study was performed to find out if evidence of disturbances of ocular microcirculation can be established by non-invasive methods.


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients with HIV infection and without opportunistic infections underwent thorough ophthalmologic examination with threshold-oriented, suprathreshold perimetry (TAP 2000 ct, Oculus) and white-noise field campimetry (TEC, Oculus).


RESULTS
Visual field examination was normal in 23 out of 27 patients (85%), whereas 4 patients showed relative field defects in at least one eye. In white-noise field campimetry 13 out of 23 perimetrically unaffected patients (56%) perceived scotomas in one or both eyes. These scotomas were not stable. Three of 4 patients with relative scotomas in the visual field had cotton-wool spots in the retina and showed a stable scotoma in campimetry. Visual acuity, IOP, and cup/disc ratio were within normal ranges.


CONCLUSIONS
White-noise field campimetry complements the standard examination of patients with HIV and might be capable of indicating disturbances of ocular microcirculation by a non-invasive method before morphological changes in the retina can be seen.
Hettesheimer
H
H
Abteilung für Pathophysiologie des Sehens und Neuroophthalmologie, Universitäts-Augenklinik Tübingen.
Erb
C
C
Schiefer
U
U
Zrenner
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000503:physiopathology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology; D012607:Scotoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D058609:Visual Field Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology