Título

SPATIAL CORRELATION BETWEEN LOCALIZED DECREASES IN EXPLORATORY VISUAL SEARCH PERFORMANCE AND AREAS OF GLAUCOMATOUS VISUAL FIELD LOSS

Objetivo

Visual search is a critical skill for several daily tasks and may be compromised in patients with impaired vision. The objective of this study was to study the relationships between exploratory visual search performance (EVSP) visual field (VF) sensitivity in patients with glaucoma.

Método

Primary open-angle glaucoma patients (POAG; n = 29) and healthy (Control; n = 28) individuals with best corrected visual acuity better than 0.2 logMAR (20/30) underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examination, including Humphrey VF tests (24-2 SITA-Standard), and an exploratory visual search digit-based task performed using a software that quantifies the time spent to find a targert (number “4”) on a random array of digits distributed on nine sequential screens. The screen was conveniently divided into five areas to topographically match with five VF sectors.

Resultado

As expected, POAG eyes had worse VF mean deviation (MD) sensitivity and EVSP than Controls (MD: -8.02 ± 7.88 dB vs -1.43 ± 1.50 dB; p < 0.0001, and total EVSP time: 106.42 ± 59.64 s vs 52.75 ± 19.07 s; p < 0.0001). MD sensitivity of both groups significantly correlated with total EVSP time (POAG: r = -0.45; p = 0.01 and Control: r = 0.37; p = 0.049). A significant relationship was observed between EVSP (individual time) and both visual acuity (p = 0.006) and glaucoma diagnosis (p = 0.005). The mean sensitivity of the peripheral VF areas of the POAG group showed significant correlation with the individual search time in the corresponding spatial areas, except in the peripheral superior temporal area (r = -0.35, p = 0.06). Controls did not show a significant correlation regarding any of the VF areas, except for the peripheral superior temporal area (r = 0.43, p = 0.02).

Conclusão

These data indicate that POAG patients’ EVSP is impaired in topographically-correspondent VF areas with sensitivity loss. Visual search could be used as a measure of impairment of daily activities in glaucoma patients.