[Relation between relative afferent pupillary defect and suprathreshold automated perimetry].

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to test for correlation between relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) and visual acuity, central differential light threshold and visual field defect measured by suprasthreshold automated grid perimetry.

METHODS

In 98 patients with optic neuropathies of different origin (inflammatory, ischemic, or compressive) in addition to a standard ophthalmological examination, static perimetry of the 30 degrees visual field with a dense grid of test spots, including measurement of the central differential light sensitivity, was done by means of the Tübingen Automated Perimeter. RAPD was tested using the swinging flashlight test quantified with neutral density filters.

RESULTS

Visual acuity and central differential light sensitivity correlated only weakly with the RAPD. The visual field showed a better correlation (coeff. of corr. for all patients 0.58, for patients with optic neuritis 0.64. for patients with AION 0.53 and for patients with compressive neuropathies 0.84). One test spot not seen in perimetry corresponded to an RAPD of about 0.01 log-units.

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm those from previous studies obtained by threshold perimetry. The RAPD is a good parameter for the severity of an optic nerve lesion, especially of compressive origin.