Central and peripheral contrast sensitivity for static and dynamic sinusoidal gratings in glaucoma.

Contrast sensitivity testing in glaucoma patients was extended from central, static patterns to include peripheral areas and dynamic gratings. The results were compared with age-matched normals in visuograms, and sensitivity defects were correlated to the location of visual field defects. Tested spatial frequencies included 0.3, 0.5 1, 2 and 4 c/d. Definite sensitivity losses for all spatial frequencies were found for dynamic patterns in testing positions located 10 degrees eccentrically above and below fixation. For static patterns in the periphery sensitivity was reduced only for medium spatial frequencies. For central viewing, reduced sensitivity was found with dynamic medium spatial frequencies only. No centrally presented static gratings were of subnormal sensitivity. Dynamic patterns in the periphery were superior to other combinations regarding the capacity for indicating the presence of glaucomatous influence. Peripheral sensitivity losses also occurred when perimetric disturbances were located outside the area tested in the same hemi-field. Depressed sensitivity was observed even in hemifields with normal/near-normal perimetric fields. These findings might be indicative of an early glaucomatous impairment. It thus seems that testing peripheral dynamic contrast sensitivity might be a potentially valuable method for glaucoma screening.