A pathological indicator for dysthyroid optic neuropathy: tritan color vision deficiency

To investigate the sensitivity of the color vision test by Arden in patients with dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) to improve diagnosis.

In this observational, retrospective study, we included the medical records of 92 eyes (48 patients) with diagnosis of DON between 2008 and 2019 in order to evaluate the full spectrum of findings from the color vision test by Arden, and to determine potential importance of this test. Thirty-five patients were female, and 13 patients were male. The mean age was 58.0 years (range: 34-79) at the time of the DON diagnosis.

Forty-one eyes displayed relatively good BCVA with ≤ 0.2 LogMAR. We found a protan value exceeding the threshold of ≥ 8% in 57 eyes (30 patients) at the time of the diagnosis. The sensitivity of protan was 61.9% (95% CI 51.2-71.8%), while that of tritan was a striking 98.9% (95% CI 94.1-99.9%). We discovered one pathological sign, tritan deficiency (based on a threshold of ≥ 8%) consistently in all eyes but one at the time of the diagnosis, regardless of the visual field defects or any changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

We found blue-yellow (tritan) deficiency, to be a sensitive and reliable indicator of dysthyroid optic neuropathy. We conclude that, in cases with suspected DON, a color vision test that can detect tritan deficiency is an essential tool for the adequate assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of DON.