Correlation of pattern reversal visual evoked potential parameters with the pattern standard deviation in primary...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Visual Electrophysiology

Background:

• Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Glaucomatous visual field defects, quantified by pattern standard deviation (PSD), represent optic nerve damage.
• Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) assess the integrity of the visual pathway.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between glaucomatous visual field defects (PSD) and VEP parameters in POAG patients.
• To determine if specific VEP metrics correlate with the severity of visual field loss in POAG.

Main Methods:

• 100 patients with POAG underwent Humphrey visual field testing and simultaneous pattern reversal visual evoked potential (PRVEP) recordings.
• PRVEP utilized a transient pattern reversal method with a black and white checkerboard stimulus.
• VEP parameters analyzed included P100 amplitude and N70, P100, and N155 latencies.

Main Results:

• A significant negative correlation was found between P100 amplitude and PSD (P<0.001).
• Significant positive correlations were observed between N70, P100, and N155 latencies and PSD (P<0.05).
• These correlations were consistent across various age groups.

Conclusions:

• Prolonged VEP latencies in POAG patients correspond to increased PSD values.
• Diminished VEP excursion magnitudes are associated with higher PSD, indicating more severe visual field defects.
• VEP parameters serve as potential electrophysiological markers for assessing glaucomatous visual field damage in POAG.