Retinal light sensitivity in haemodialysis patients

The aim of the present study was to compare retinal light sensitivity between normal healthy subjects and chronic renal failure patients treated with maintenance haemodialysis (HD), as well as to determine whether there is a correlation between visual field loss and the age of HD patients, duration of HD treatment and hypertensive retinopathy in HD patients.

A total of 50 eyes of 25 HD patients (16 male, nine female) and 30 eyes of 15 controls underwent visual field testing on the C 30-2 program of the Humphrey field analyser.

Significant reduction in retinal light sensitivity with mean deviation (MD) P values less than 5% was found in 36% (18 eyes), pattern standard deviation (PSD) P values less than 5% in 16 eyes (32%) and corrected pattern standard deviation (CPSD) P values less than 5% in 16 eyes (32%) of HD patients. In control group, all MD, PSD, and CPSD P values were within normal limits. No correlation between reduction of retinal light sensitivity and age or duration of dialysis treatment was observed in HD patients. The reduction of retinal light sensitivity was significantly greater in HD patients with hypertensive retinopathy.

In 36% of eyes from our HD patients without ophthalmoscopically evident arteriolar occlusion on fundus examination, a significant reduction in retinal light sensitivity was observed. The reduction was significantly greater in HD patients with hypertensive retinopathy.