Age covariance between 100-Hue color scores and quantitative perimetry in primary open angle glaucoma

Color vision tests have shown promise as an early indicator of optic nerve compromise in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). In this context, it is of interest to know how well color test performance correlates with an accepted measure of glaucomatous optic nerve damage, such as is provided by quantitative static perimetry. We found correlation values for 96 glaucoma suspects (ocular hypertensive patients) and 110 patients with POAG. No significant correlation values were found for the suspect group when age correction was applied to the color variable. Similarly, for the patients with POAG, age correction of the color test scores reduced all age group correlation values below significance, except for the age group 60 to 69 years. These findings conflict with another recent study reporting significant correlation between Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue color test scores and visual field performance for glaucoma suspects but which did not correct for age. We interpreted our results for the glaucoma suspects and patients with glaucoma to indicate some independence of mechanisms responsible for early color loss compared with visual field loss.