Spatial correlation between localized decreases in exploratory visual search performance and areas of glaucomatous visual field loss.

Background: Visual search is a critical skill for several daily tasks and may be compromised in patients with impaired vision. The objective of this study was to study the relationships between exploratory visual search performance (EVSP) visual field (VF) sensitivity in patients with glaucoma.

Methods: Primary open-angle glaucoma patients (POAG; n = 29) and healthy (Control; n = 28) individuals with best corrected visual acuity better than 0.2 logMAR underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological examination, including Humphrey VF tests (24-2 SITA-Standard), and a monocular exploratory visual search digit-based task performed using a software that quantifies the time spent to find a targert on a random array of digits distributed on nine sequential screens. The screens were divided into five areas to topographically match with five VF sectors.

Results: As expected, POAG eyes had worse VF mean deviation (MD) sensitivity and EVSP than Controls (MD - 8.02 ± 7.88 dB vs - 1.43 ± 1.50 dB, p < 0.0001; and total EVSP time 106.42 ± 59.64 s vs 52.75 ± 19.07 s, p < 0.0001). MD sensitivity of both groups significantly correlated with total EVSP time (POAG r = - 0.45, p = 0.01; and Control r = 0.37, p = 0.049). A significant relationship was observed between EVSP (individual time) and both visual acuity (p = 0.006) and glaucoma diagnosis (p = 0.005). The mean sensitivity of the peripheral VF areas of the POAG group showed significant correlation with the individual search time in the corresponding spatial areas, except in the peripheral superior temporal area (r = - 0.35, p = 0.06).

Conclusion: These data indicate that POAG patients' EVSP is impaired in topographically-correspondent VF areas with sensitivity loss. Visual search may be considered as a measure of impairment of daily activities in glaucoma patients, if further similar tests using binocular conditions corroborate our findings.