title: Menstrual cycle-dependent changes in visual field analysis of healthy women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of menstrual cycle phases on the visual field analysis of healthy females.
  
  
  METHODS
  One randomly selected eye each of 59 healthy normally menstruating women, and of 54 men with no systemic and ocular problems, other than refractive error, were included in the study. Subjects underwent complete ocular examination, and standard achromatic perimetric (SAP) and short-wavelength automated perimetric (SWAP) analysis in both follicular (7th to 10th day of the cycle) and luteal phases (days 3-7 before the menstrual bleeding) of the menstrual cycle. Visual field analysis was performed using a Model 750 Humphrey Field Analyzer II (Humphrey Instruments Inc., San Leandro, Calif., USA) with full-threshold, central 30-2 program. Visual fields were divided into four regions as superior temporal, inferior temporal, superior nasal and inferior nasal, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of female (n = 59) and the male subjects (n = 54) were 34.6 +/- 2.9 and 35.0 +/- 2.7 years, respectively (p = 0.49). SWAP tests demonstrated a significantly decreased mean MS value in the luteal phase (p < 0.05). However, it did not change significantly with SAP tests. Regional MS values of both SAP and SWAP tests were not different in both phases of the menstrual cycle (all p values >0.05). Mean perimetric test durations obtained with both SAP and SWAP were not different throughout the menstrual cycle (both p values >0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should verify menstrual status when evaluating a suspected loss of visual field sensitivity in menstruating women. The findings of the present study suggest that the SWAP test may be more sensitive to determine subtle sex hormone-dependent changes in visual field analysis of healthy women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey. yakar@akdeniz.edu.tr
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akar
authors.forename: Iclal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yucel
authors.forename: Munire Erman
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Akar
authors.forename: Omur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Taskin
authors.forename: Hilmi O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Ozer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones