Dissociation of visual deficits in ocular hypertension

Both acquired color vision deficiencies and abnormal pattern electroretinograms (PERGs) are observed in patients with ocular hypertension (OHT) as well as in patients with glaucoma. In the present study we determined the prevalence of both of these functional deficits in a large group of OHT patients (N = 130). Color vision was tested with the desaturated D-15 and a color confusion score was used to quantitatively assess the magnitude of the color vision deficiency. Steady-state PERGs were evoked with rapidly alternating high contrast checkerboard patterns. Color vision deficits were detected in 23% of OHTs while 11.5% of the patients exhibited significant PERG amplitude reductions. Only 2.3% exhibited both abnormalities. The results suggest that although color vision deficiencies and PERG abnormalities are both evident in OHT, they are often dissociated findings.