Validity of a new disk grading scale for estimating glaucomatous damage: correlation with visual field damage.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the correlation of a new disk grading system, the disk damage likelihood scale (DDLS), with the visual field damage in patients with glaucoma.


METHODS
Observational case series.


METHODS
Charts of 75 patients (150 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), 41 patients (82 eyes) with low-tension glaucoma (LTG), and 25 patients (50 eyes) with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PXFG) were reviewed retrospectively. DDLS stages and vertical disk sizes were recorded. A masked observer staged the Humphrey field analyzer (program 24-2) visual fields using the Hodapp-Parrish-Anderson (HPA) visual field staging system. Mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) values were obtained. The correlation of DDLS with the visual field parameters and HPA staging system were evaluated. Findings were assessed by the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients.


RESULTS
In the 282 eyes studied, the DDLS was strongly correlated with both MD (Pearson r = - 0.695, P <.001) and PSD (Pearson r =.703, P <.001). The HPA visual field staging system was also strongly correlated with the DDLS (Spearman r =.711, P <.001). These relationships continued to be significant when the three diagnostic groups (POAG, LTG, PXFG) were evaluated separately (P <.001) and also for small (< 1.5 mm) and average size (1.5-2.0 mm) disks. Large disks (> 2.0 mm) were not evaluated, because there was an insufficient number of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
DDLS, a new system for estimating glaucomatous disk damage, strongly correlates with the degree of glaucomatous visual field damage.
Bayer
Atilla
A
The William Anna Goldberg Glaucoma Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-5598, USA. atillabayer@hotmail.com
Harasymowycz
Paul
P
Henderer
Jeffrey D
JD
Steinmann
William G
WG
Spaeth
George L
GL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015814:Ocular Hypotension / Q000175:diagnosis; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014794:Visual Fields