title: Comparison of functional and morphological diagnostics in glaucoma patients and healthy subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic value of microperimetry (MP), blue-on-yellow perimetry (B/YP), confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph, HRT, III) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in discriminating eyes with early glaucoma from healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective examination of 22 eyes of subjects with early primary open-angle glaucoma and 24 eyes of healthy control subjects. After a complete ophthalmological examination, B/YP, MP, OCT and HRT III were determined. Morphological and functional parameters were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean sensitivity threshold values obtained with B/YP and MP did not show significant differences between glaucoma patients and the control group (p = 0.321 and p = 0.281). Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness was significantly decreased in patients with glaucoma with both HRT III and OCT (p = 0.018 and p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While B/YP and MP had no ability to discriminate between subjects with early glaucoma and healthy subjects, RNFL thickness measured with HRT III and OCT showed a significant difference. In early primary open-angle glaucoma, morphological changes like RNFL thickness seem to occur prior to functional defects in the visual field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medicine Charité Berlin, DE–13353 Berlin, Germany. matthias.klamann @ charite.de
authors.forename: M K J
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Klamann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grünert
authors.forename: A-K B
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonnermann
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Joussen
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006068:Gonioscopy; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*