Visual acuity and perimetry as measures of visual function in diabetic macular oedema

We examined to what extent visual acuity and perimetric sensitivity as measures of central and paracentral visual function would be useful for evaluating the presence and severity of diabetic macular oedema.

We evaluated 59 eyes of 59 diabetic patients by identifying the presence (n=20) or absence (n=39) of macular oedema on stereo fundus photographs. The area of oedema and its distance to the centre of the macula were measured. Ischaemic macular damage was quantified by measuring the foveal avascular zone and adjacent perifoveolar intercapillary areas on fluorescein angiograms. Visual function was assessed by visual acuity charts and by short-wavelength perimetry and standard white-on-white perimetry of the central 10 degrees field.

Visual acuity did not differ between eyes with and without macular oedema. In eyes with oedema, visual acuity was correlated to the distance of the oedema from the centre of the macula (log of minimum angle of resolution {LogMar} score decreased by 0.15/mm; p=0.006) and to the thickness of the retina when the centre was affected (LogMar score decreased by 0.003/mum of thickness; p=0.0002). Multivariate analyses confirmed the results (R (2)=0.46 and 0.77, respectively). Short-wavelength perimetry sensitivity was more depressed in eyes with oedema (p=0.033) but was not significantly associated with the presence of oedema after correction for macular ischaemic damage. There was no correlation between these field defects and the severity of oedema.

Visual acuity was a useful measure of visual function in diabetic macular oedema involving the centre. Visual field defects were more common in eyes with macular oedema but reflected ischaemic damage of the macula rather than macular oedema itself.