Purpose: To evaluate retrospectively seasonal fluctuations of transient intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation after automated visual field examination in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
Patients and methods: We reviewed 53 consecutive patients with POAG who visited Kaimeido Ophthalmic and Dental Clinic from January 2011 to March 2013, 21 men and 32 women aged 67.7±11.2 years. The patients were divided into 4 groups, spring, summer, autumn, and winter according to the month of automated visual field examination and both eyes of each patient were enrolled. IOP was measured immediately after automated visual field examination (vf IOP) and compared with the average IOP from the previous 3 months (pre IOP) and with the average IOP from the following 3 months (post IOP) in each season. IOP elevation rate was defined as (vf IOP-pre IOP)/pre IOP×100% and calculated for each season (paired t test). Additionally, the correlation between mean deviation (MD) and IOP elevation rate was evaluated (single regression analysis). Exclusion criteria were patients who received cataract surgery during this study or had a history of any previous glaucoma surgery. The automated visual field test was performed with a Humphrey field analyzer and the Central 30-2 FASTPAC threshold program.
Results: The average vf IOP was 14.5±2.5 mmHg, higher than pre IOP 13.8±2.4 mmHg (p<0.0001) and the post IOP 13.8±2.2 mmHg (p<0.0001). IOP elevation rate in each season was 4.1±11.6% in spring (n=22, p=0.18), 0.1±9.9% in summer (n=16, p=1.0), 5.0±13.8% in autumn (n=30. p=0.11), 10.6±8.8% in winter (n=38, p<0.0001). The MD was not correlated with IOP elevation rate (p=0.17).
Conclusion: Patients with POAG show a transient IOP elevation after automated visual field examination, especially in the winter but not in the summer.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 117: 990-995, 2014.