Intraocular pressure before and after visual field examination.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Optometry
• Glaucoma Research

Background:

• Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a key metric in glaucoma management.
• Accurate IOP measurement is vital for diagnosing and monitoring glaucoma progression.
• Modern visual field (VF) testing aims for efficiency without compromising diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of contemporary, time-efficient visual field (VF) examinations on intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements.
• To determine if short-duration VF tests influence pre- and post-examination IOP readings.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-one patients (40 treated for glaucoma, 21 with ocular hypertension/suspected glaucoma) underwent VF testing.
• Examinations utilized Humphrey Field Analyzer with SITA programs or high-pass resolution perimetry (HRP).
• Goldmann applanation tonometry measured IOP immediately before and after VF testing.

Main Results:

• A significant IOP change (>2 mm Hg) occurred in 14% of patients (14/61).
• The maximum IOP fluctuation observed was 4 mm Hg; mean differences were not statistically significant.
• A trend suggested HRP testing was associated with increased IOP post-examination (P=0.04).

Conclusions:

• Current, rapid visual field (VF) examination techniques appear to have a minimal and non-significant effect on intraocular pressure (IOP).
• While minor fluctuations can occur, modern VF testing is unlikely to compromise the reliability of IOP measurements in clinical practice.