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New testing methods could improve sensitivity of early glaucoma detection, clinician says
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BEIJING — Specific function perimetry could improve sensitivity measurements of glaucoma by better detecting retinal ganglion cell dysfunction, improving early disease monitoring, according to a speaker here.
 Lingling Wu |
Lingling Wu, MD, PhD, spoke at the 25th APAO Congress about new methods of glaucoma testing. She said standard automated perimetry (SAP) is nonspecific for retinal ganglion cell type, which have been associated with glaucomatous neuropathy through the death of ganglion cells.
In addition, ganglion cell redundancy in the visual system prevents SAP from assessing early functional damage, she said.
Specific function perimetry measuring techniques such as frequency-doubling technology perimetry (FDP) and short wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP) target magnocellular and bistratified retinal ganglion cells, respectively. Dr. Wu said while no one test appears to be better than the others, FDP and SWAP could find glaucomatous visual field defects sooner than SAP.
"Evidence suggests that visual function in early glaucoma varies significantly between individuals, and no single technique is superior to the others in all patients. However, FDP shows a higher sensitivity overall," she said.