Clinical measures of central vision function in glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

A generalized loss of visual sensitivity, even for foveal targets, has been reported as an early sign of glaucoma. In the present study of central vision, we used relatively simple and rapid clinical tests of color thresholds, color discrimination, and spatial contrast sensitivity to compare the vision of three age-matched groups of patients who had primary open angle glaucoma (n = 33) or ocular hypertension (n = 32) as well as normal subjects (n = 24). The largest sensitivity losses for both glaucoma and ocular hypertensive groups were disclosed by a color threshold test with blue lights designed to isolate the blue-sensitive pathways of the visual system. The loss of sensitivity for both the glaucoma group and the ocular hypertensive group is consistent with recent reports (from postmortem studies of human eyes) of extensive axon death even in the absence of glaucomatous field defects.