Mid-peripheral visual field defects in glaucoma

R Humphrey automated perimeter was used to measure the peripheral 30 to 60 degrees of vision with mid-peripheral field static threshold targets in 41 recently diagnosed glaucoma or glaucoma suspect eyes and 16 eyes of normal controls. The overall mean defect of the 30-60 degree usual field increased 5.11 decibels in the glaucomatous population when compared to the controls. The individual quadrants of the mid-peripheral field of each glaucoma subject were analyzed and quantitatively compared to the corresponding quadrant mean defect of the controls. The mean defect of the superior and the inferior field of the glaucoma subjects significantly differed from the overall mean defect of the controls. Differences on comparison of quantitative defects in the nasal periphery was less significant. This study suggests that peripheral field testing provides useful information in the detection of glaucoma. It also suggests that the analysis of the overall mean defect offers statistically relevant data upon which to judge whether field defects are pathological or normal