[Correlation between visual field index values and mean deviation values of Humphrey field analyzer]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Visual electrophysiology

Context:

• Glaucoma and other optic neuropathies can cause progressive visual field loss.
• The visual field index (VFI) and mean deviation (MD) are common metrics for quantifying visual field damage.
• Understanding the relationship between VFI and MD, and their slopes, is crucial for monitoring disease progression.

Purpose:

• To investigate the correlation between the visual field index (VFI) and mean deviation (MD).
• To analyze the correlation between the VFI slope and MD slope.
• To assess the agreement between VFI slope and MD slope across different visual field defect patterns.

Summary:

• A significant correlation was observed between MD and VFI across all eyes, including those with visual field defects.
• The correlation between VFI slope and MD slope was significant overall but not evident in paracentral defects.
• A moderate agreement was found between VFI slope and MD slope using kappa statistics.

Impact:

• The findings highlight the strong association between VFI and MD in assessing visual field status.
• The lack of correlation in paracentral defects suggests that VFI and MD slopes may not be interchangeable for evaluating progression in this specific region.
• This research emphasizes the need for careful consideration when evaluating central visual field defect progression using these metrics.