Longitudinal comparison of visual acuity as measured by the ETDRS chart and by the potential acuity meter in eyes with macular edema, and its relationship with retinal thickness and sensitivity

E Hatef; M Hanout; A Moradi; E Colantuoni; M Bittencourt; H Liu; Y J Sepah; M Ibrahim; D V Do; D L Guyton; Q D Nguyen

doi:10.1038/eye.2014.182

Longitudinal comparison of visual acuity as measured by the ETDRS chart and by the potential acuity meter in eyes with macular edema, and its relationship with retinal thickness and sensitivity

Eye (Lond). 2014 Oct;28(10):1239-45. doi: 10.1038/eye.2014.182. Epub 2014 Aug 8.

Authors

E Hatef¹, M Hanout², A Moradi³, E Colantuoni⁴, M Bittencourt³, H Liu³, Y J Sepah², M Ibrahim³, D V Do⁵, D L Guyton³, Q D Nguyen⁵

Affiliations

¹ 1] Retinal Imaging Research and Reading Center, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA [2] General Preventive Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
² 1] Retinal Imaging Research and Reading Center, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA [2] Ocular Imaging Research and Reading Center, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
³ Retinal Imaging Research and Reading Center, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁴ Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁵ Ocular Imaging Research and Reading Center, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between visual acuity as measured by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) chart and by the potential acuity meter (PAM) with retinal thickness and sensitivity measured by a combined microperimetry/optical coherence tomography system (OCT).

Methods: Forty-four patients with macular edema (ME) were included in a prospective observational study. Visual acuity (VA) was assessed using the ETDRS chart (with best correction) as well as by the PAM. Retinal thickness and sensitivity was measured by an automatic fundus perimetry/tomography system.

Results: Best-corrected VA using the ETDRS chart ranged from 20/20 to 20/400 (median: 20/50). VA measured by the PAM without correction ranged from 20/20 to 20/400 (median: 20/40). The mean retinal thickness was 369.57 μm (s.d.: 140.28 μm) on spectral domain-OCT and the mean retinal sensitivity was 8.12 decibels (dB) (s.d.: 5.78 dB). The mean LogMAR value using the ETDRS chart was 0.43, whereas it was 0.38 using the PAM (P-value: 0.009).

Conclusions: VA values measured by the PAM were statistically significantly better than those measured by the ETDRS chart in eyes with ME secondary to various retinal vascular and uveitic diseases. VA measured by the PAM may be a more sensitive predictor of macular function than that obtained by ETDRS testing in eyes with ME.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Observational Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Diabetic Retinopathy / physiopathology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Macular Degeneration / physiopathology
Macular Edema / physiopathology*
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Retina / physiopathology*
Tomography, Optical Coherence
Vision Tests / instrumentation*
Visual Acuity / physiology*
Visual Field Tests
Visual Fields / physiology*
Young Adult