[Current state of pupil-based diagnostics for glaucomatous optic neuropathy]

There are considerable differences between pupillary reactions to light in glaucoma patients and healthy subjects which can be identified by various techniques. These methods are based on the early asymmetry of the afferent conduction in the visual pathway, on the examination of the visual field by focal light stimuli or on visual stimuli in analogy with multifocal electrophysiological tests. Latest findings in pupillary research also suggest a possible use of the intrinsically photosensitive (melanopsin expressing) retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma diagnostics. The current results of pupillary experiments in glaucoma patients are encouraging for further research in this field because suitable objective screening methods for glaucoma are continually being sought.