Structure-function relationship of reading performance in patients with early to moderate glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Glaucoma Research
• Visual Neuroscience

Background:

• Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Early detection and understanding of functional deficits are crucial for managing POAG.
• Reading ability is a key aspect of daily function potentially impacted by glaucoma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate reading performance in patients with mild to moderate POAG.
• To investigate the correlation between reading ability and various ophthalmological parameters, including visual field (VF), microperimetry, and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Main Methods:

• Reading performance was assessed using the Minnesota Reading Acuity Chart (MNREAD) in 30 POAG patients and 21 controls.
• Visual field testing was conducted using Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA).
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), optic nerve head (ONH) parameters, and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness (GCIPLT).

Main Results:

• POAG patients demonstrated significantly lower maximum reading speed (MRS) and reading accessibility (RA).
• Reduced MRS was associated with thinner average and specific quadrants of ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness (GCIPLT).
• Visual field, microperimetry, and ONH/RNFLT parameters did not correlate with reading performance.

Conclusions:

• Patients with POAG exhibit impaired reading performance compared to healthy controls.
• The association between reading speed and decreased macular GCIPLT suggests that reading difficulties may manifest in the early stages of POAG.