Minimum Rim Width and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness for Diagnosing Early to Moderate Glaucoma.

PRCIS: In a cross-sectional study from a Brazilian multiracial population, minimum rim width (MRW) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements from OCT showed comparable diagnostic performance in discriminating early to moderate glaucoma from healthy eyes. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the ability of MRW and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) measurements in discriminating early to moderate glaucoma from healthy eyes in a Brazilian population. METHODS: A total of 155 healthy controls and 118 patients with mild to moderate glaucoma (mean deviation >-12 dB) underwent MRW and RNFLT measurements with optical coherence tomography. Only 1 eye per patient was included in the analysis. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) regression model was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRW and RNFLT, whereas adjusting for age and Bruch membrane opening area. Sensitivities at fixed specificities of 95% were calculated for each parameter. RESULTS: Global RNFLT and MRW showed comparable area under the ROC curves [0.93 (0.91-0.96) and 0.93 (0.89-0.96), respectively; P =0.973]. Both parameters had similar sensitivities (75% vs. 74%, respectively; P =0.852) at a fixed specificity of 95%. The best sector for diagnosing glaucoma for both parameters was the temporal inferior sector, which showed an area under the ROC curve of 0.93 (0.87-0.96) for RNFLT and 0.91 (0.86-0.95) for MRW ( P =0.320). The temporal inferior sector showed similar sensitivities for RNFLT and MRW measurements (83% vs. 77%, respectively) at a fixed specificity of 95% (P =0.230). CONCLUSIONS: MRW and RNFLT measurements showed comparable diagnostic performance in discriminating early to moderate glaucoma from healthy eyes in a Brazilian multiracial population.

24-2 SITA Standard versus 24-2 SITA Faster in Perimetry-Naive Normal Subjects.

PURPOSE: To compare the Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm (SITA) Standard (SS) and SITA Faster (SFR) strategies in normal individuals undergoing standard automated perimetry (SAP) for the first time. DESIGN: Randomized, comparative, observational case series. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-four perimetry-naive healthy individuals. METHODS: All individuals underwent SAP 24-2 testing with the Humphrey Field Analyzer III (model 850 Zeiss) using the SS and SFR strategies. One eye of each individual was tested. Test order between strategies was randomized, and an interval of 15 minutes was allowed between the tests. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The following variables were compared: test time, foveal threshold, false-positive errors, number of unreliable tests, mean deviation (MD), visual field index (VFI), pattern standard deviation (PSD), glaucoma hemifield test (GHT), and number of depressed points deviating at P < 5%, P < 2%, P < 1%, and P < 0.5% on the total and pattern deviation probability maps. Specificity of the SS and SFR strategies were compared using Anderson's criteria for abnormal visual fields. RESULTS: The SFR tests were 60.4% shorter in time compared with SS (P < 0.001) and were associated with a significantly lower PSD (1.75 ± 0.80 decibel [dB] vs. 2.15 ± 1.25 dB; P = 0.016). There were no significant differences regarding the MD, VFI, foveal threshold, GHT, and number of points depressed at P < 5%, P < 2%, P < 1%, and P < 0.5% on the total deviation and pattern deviation probability maps between SS and SFR. When all exams were analyzed and any of Anderson's criteria was applied, the specificity was 68% with SFR and 61% with SS (P = 0.250). The specificities observed with SFR and SS when only the first or second exams were analyzed were also similar (63% vs. 64% and 72% vs. 58%, respectively, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The SS and SFR were associated with similar specificities in perimetry-naive individuals. The SFR did not increase the number of depressed points in the total and pattern deviation probability maps. Ophthalmologists should be aware that both strategies are associated with disturbingly high false-positive rates in perimetry-naive individuals. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Evaluation of contrast sensitivity in patients with advanced glaucoma: comparison of two tests.

AIMS: To evaluate contrast sensitivity (CS) in patients with advanced glaucomatous visual field damage, and to compare two clinical CS tests. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional test-retest study. Twenty-eight patients with open-angle glaucoma, visual acuity (VA) better than 20/40 and visual field mean deviation (MD) worse than -15 dB were enrolled. Patients underwent VA, visual field and CS testing with the Pelli-Robson (PR) chart and the Freiburg Visual Acuity and Contrast Test (FrACT). Retest measurements were obtained within 1 week to 1 month. RESULTS: Median (IQR) age and MD were 61.5 (55.5 to 69.2) years and -27.7 (-29.7 to -22.7) dB, respectively. Median (IQR) VA was 0.08 logarithm minimum angle of resolution (0.02 to 0.16), corresponding to 20/25 (20/20 to 20/30). Median (IQR) CS was 1.35 (1.11 to 1.51) log units with the PR chart and 1.39 (1.24 to 1.64) log units with FrACT. VA explained less than 40% of the variance in CS (adjusted R2=0.36). CS estimates of both tests were closely related (rho=0.88, p=0.001), but CS was 0.09 log units higher with FrACT compared with the PR chart, and the 95% repeatability intervals (Bland-Altman) were 46% tighter with the PR chart. CONCLUSIONS: Despite near-normal VA, almost all patients showed moderate to profound deficits in CS. CS measurement provides additional information on central visual function in patients with advanced glaucoma.

Influence of Bruch's Membrane Opening Area in Diagnosing Glaucoma With Neuroretinal Parameters From Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the glaucoma diagnostic accuracy of age- and Bruch membrane opening area (BMOA)-adjusted normative classifications of minimum rim width (MRW) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) is dependent on BMOA, in a European descent population. DESIGN: Retrospective, cross-sectional study. METHODS: We included 182 glaucoma patients and 166 healthy controls for the primary study, and 105 glaucoma patients in a second sample used for a replication study. Optical coherence tomography (Spectralis) measurements of BMOA, global MRW, and RNFLT and normative classifications from the device software were exported for analysis. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for a conservative criterion (abnormal = "outside normal limits" classification) and a liberal criterion (abnormal = "outside normal limits" or "borderline" classifications). The dependence of sensitivity and specificity on BMOA was analyzed with comparison among subgroups divided by tertiles of BMOA, and with logistic regression. RESULTS: For the conservative criterion, MRW sensitivity was independent of BMOA (P ≥ .76), while RNFLT sensitivity increased in the large BMOA subgroup (P = .04, odds ratio: 1.2 per mm2 [P = .02]). For the liberal criterion, MRW and RNFLT sensitivities were independent of BMOA (P ≥ .53). Specificities were independent of BMOA (P ≥ .07). For the replication sample, which included younger patients with larger BMOA and worse visual field damage than the primary sample, sensitivities were independent of BMOA for both criteria (P ≥ .10). CONCLUSIONS: RNFLT sensitivity was higher in eyes with larger BMOA; however, age and visual field damage may influence that association. MRW diagnostic accuracy was not dependent on BMOA.

Bruch's membrane opening minimum rim width and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in a Brazilian population of healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To determine Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) minimum rim width (MRW) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) measurements, acquired with optical coherence tomography (OCT) in healthy Brazilian individuals self-reported as African Descent (AD), European Descent (ED) and Mixed Descent (MD). METHODS: 260 healthy individuals (78 AD, 103 ED and 79 MD) were included in this cross-sectional study conducted at the Clinics Hospital of the University of Campinas. We obtained optic nerve head (24 radial B scans) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (3.5-mm circle scan) images in one randomly selected eye of each subject. RESULTS: After adjustment for BMO area and age, there were no significant differences in mean global MRW (P = 0.63) or RNFLT (P = 0.07) among the three groups. Regionally, there were no significant differences in either MRW or RNFLT in most sectors, except in the superonasal sector, in which both MRW and RNFLT were thinner among ED (P = 0.04, P<0.001, respectively). RNFLT was also thinner in ED in the inferonasal sector (P = 0.009). In all races, global MRW decreased and global RNFLT increased with BMO area. AD subjects had higher rates of global RNFLT decay with age (-0.32 µm/year) compared to ED and MD subjects (-0.10 µm/year and -0.08 µm/year, respectively; P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: While we found no significant differences in global MRW and RNFLT among the three races, age-related thinning of the RNFLT was significantly higher in the AD subgroup, which warrants further study.

An Education- and Telephone-Based Intervention to Improve Follow-up to Vision Care in Patients With Diabetes: A Prospective, Single-Blinded, Randomized Trial.

The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multipronged intervention on diabetic dilated fundus examination (DFE) adherence. In a prospective trial, 521 patients with diabetes who were due for follow-up DFEs were randomized to usual care or the intervention group. Usual care received a form letter reminder to schedule and an automated reminder phone call prior to their appointment. Intervention participants received an educational brochure about diabetic eye disease and a personalized letter reminder to schedule. A research assistant called intervention participants to help schedule the appointment, and they received a reminder letter and an automated phone call prior to the scheduled visit. Patients in the intervention group were significantly more likely to schedule (63% vs 40%; P < .0001) and complete their appointment (48% vs 30%; P < .0001) compared with usual care. A multipronged intervention, including an educational mailing and telephone assistance with scheduling an appointment, significantly improved diabetic DFE adherence.

Segmental Analysis of Macular Layers in Patients With Unilateral Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To measure the thicknesses of the inner layers of the macula in both eyes of patients with unilateral primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and compare them with normal control eyes. METHODS: This prospective, cross-sectional pilot study enrolled patients with unilateral POAG, who had visual field defect in only 1 eye, and controls with a normal eye examination. Horizontal and vertical B-scan images centered on the fovea were obtained using spectral domain optical coherence. Semiautomatic delineation and segmentation of the inner layers of the retina were performed to evaluate macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL), ganglion cell complex (GCC) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thicknesses. Mean, superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal inner macular layer thicknesses were compared between affected eyes, fellow eyes without visual field defect, and control eyes. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with unilateral POAG and 14 normal control eyes were enrolled. In the affected POAG eyes, thinning of the mRNFL, GCC, and GC-IPL layers on horizontal and vertical scans were significant when compared with controls (P<0.05), particularly on vertical scans (P<0.001). The mean regional macular GCC and GC-IPL were most severely thinned in the inferior and temporal perifoveal regions. The unaffected eye of patients with unilateral POAG showed significant thinning of the mRNFL only in the vertical scan when compared with normal controls (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Spectral domain optical coherence tomography detected significant thinning of the mRNFL, GCC, and GC-IPL in the affected eyes of patients with unilateral POAG. Fellow eyes showed early structural changes only in the vertical mRNFL scans when compared with normal controls.

Prospective randomized controlled trial comparing the outcomes and costs of two eyecare adherence interventions in diabetes patients.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of vision impairment among adults in the USA. While it is suggested that diabetics receive annual dilated fundus examinations (DFE), many patients do not adhere to these recommendations. This paper investigates the outcomes and costs of an educational and telephone intervention on DFE follow-up adherence in patients with diabetes. METHODS: In a prospective trial, 356 diabetic patients due for a DFE at an urban eye clinic were randomly assigned to usual care (UC; reference case), mailed intervention (MI), or telephone intervention (TI). UC patients (n = 119) received a standard form letter. MI patients (n = 117) received a personalized letter encouraging scheduling of an eye examination with an educational brochure about diabetic eye disease. TI patients (n = 120) received personal calls (up to three attempts) to schedule a follow-up with standard form letter. The primary outcome was obtaining a DFE within 90 days of suggested return. Costs (US$ 2013) included time costs for staff, phone charges, supplies, and postage. Since TI involved greater cost components compared to MI, univariate sensitivity analysis examined the impact of reducing phone costs. RESULTS: Patients were mostly female (66 %) and African American (70 %) with a mean age of 61 years. TI patients were more likely to schedule DFE [65 vs. 42 %; relative risk (RR) 1.54; CI 1.20-1.96; P < 0.001] versus UC patients. Obtaining a DFE within 90 days of suggested return was also significantly higher among TI patients compared to UC patients (51 vs. 36 %, RR 1.41; CI 1.05-1.89; P = 0.024). MI patients were slightly less likely to schedule DFE versus UC patients (38 vs. 42 %, RR 0.90; CI 0.66-1.22; P = NSS) and obtain a DFE (32 vs. 36 %; RR 0.90; CI 0.63-1.28; P = NSS). The total cost of TI was US$798.28 or US$6.65/patient and the cost/follow-up DFE was US$26.05. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the cost/follow-up can be greatly reduced but remains greater compared to UC (US$2.76 if US$0.25/call, US$11.13 if $1/call; US$22.29 if US$2/call). CONCLUSIONS: Personal phone assistance in scheduling DFE follow-up is more effective but also more costly. Follow-up research has been initiated to determine whether automated phone reminders can achieve similar effectiveness at a lower cost.