Clinical Science

Multifocal Visual Evoked Potentials for Early Glaucoma Detection

Jennifer S. Weizer, MD; David C. Musch, PhD, MPH; Leslie M. Niziol, MS; Naheed W. Khan, PhD

  • Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging
  • July/August 2012 - Volume 43 · Issue 4: 335-340
  • DOI: 10.3928/15428877-20120618-07
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Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To compare multifocal visual evoked potentials (mfVEP) with other detection methods in early open-angle glaucoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Ten patients with suspected glaucoma and 5 with early open-angle glaucoma underwent mfVEP, standard automated perimetry (SAP), short-wave automated perimetry, frequency-doubling technology perimetry, and nerve fiber layer optical coherence tomography. Nineteen healthy control subjects underwent mfVEP and SAP for comparison. Comparisons between groups involving continuous variables were made using independent t tests; for categorical variables, Fisher’s exact test was used.

RESULTS:

Monocular mfVEP cluster defects were associated with an increased SAP pattern standard deviation (P = .0195). Visual fields that showed interocular mfVEP cluster defects were more likely to also show superior quadrant nerve fiber layer thinning by OCT (P = .0152).

CONCLUSION:

Multifocal visual evoked potential cluster defects are associated with a functional and an anatomic measure that both relate to glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

AUTHORS

From the Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (JSW, DCM, LMN, NWK) and Epidemiology (DCM), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Supported in part by a departmental grant from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB), Inc., New York, New York. Dr. Musch is a recipient of RPB’s Lew R. Wasserman Merit Award.

The authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.

Address correspondence to Jennifer S. Weizer, MD, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. E-mail: jweizer@umich.edu

Received: August 01, 2011
Accepted: April 22, 2012

doi: 10.3928/15428877-20120618-07

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