Frequency-doubling technology perimetry and multifocal visual evoked potential in glaucoma, suspected glaucoma, and control patients

INTRODUCTION: The gold standard in functional glaucoma evaluation is standard automated perimetry (SAP). However, SAP depends on the reliability of the patients’ responses and other external factors; therefore, other technologies have been developed for earlier detection of visual field changes in glaucoma patients. The frequency-doubling perimetry (FDT) is believed to detect glaucoma earlier than SAP. The multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) is an objective test for functional evaluation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of FDT and mfVEP tests in normal, suspect, and glaucomatous eyes and compare the monocular and interocular mfVEP. METHODS: Ninety-five eyes from 95 individuals (23 controls, 33 glaucoma suspects, 39 glaucomatous) were enrolled. All participants underwent a full ophthalmic examination, followed by SAP, FDT, and mfVEP tests. RESULTS: The area under the curve for mean deviation and pattern standard deviation were 0.756 and 0.761, respectively, for FDT, 0.564 and 0.512 for signal and alpha for interocular mfVEP, and 0.568 and 0.538 for signal and alpha for monocular mfVEP. This difference between monocular and interocular mfVEP was not significant. CONCLUSION: The FDT Matrix was superior to mfVEP in glaucoma detection. The difference between monocular and interocular mfVEP in the diagnosis of glaucoma was not significant.