Visual field progression outcomes in glaucoma subtypes

Purpose: To determine whether glaucoma subtype is an independent risk factor for visual field (VF) progression. Methods: We reviewed the charts of glaucoma suspects and glaucoma patients seen in a referral practice between 1999 and 2009. Automated pointwise linear regression analysis determined the rates of VF change. A progression endpoint was determined when two or more adjacent test locations in the same hemifield showed a threshold sensitivity decline at a rate of ≥1.0 dB/year with p < 0.01. Results: We included 841 eyes (841 patients; mean age, 64.1 ± 12.6 years; mean number of VF tests, 10.8 ± 2.8; mean follow‐up, 6.4 ± 1.7 years). The glaucomatous group consisted of angle‐closure glaucoma (76 eyes), juvenile primary open‐angle glaucoma (37 eyes), normal‐tension glaucoma (81 eyes), pigmentary glaucoma (34 eyes), primary open‐angle glaucoma (275 eyes) and exfoliative glaucoma (XFG, 84 eyes). Normal‐tension glaucoma eyes were more likely to present with beta‐zone parapapillary atrophy and disc haemorrhage (p < 0.01). Exfoliative glaucoma eyes had the fastest rates of global VF change (?0.65 dB/year), as well as the highest mean, fluctuation, and peak intraocular pressure during follow‐up (16.5, 3.0 and 22.0 mmHg, respectively) and reached a progression endpoint more frequently (40%). After adjusting for all covariates, including the glaucoma phenotype, there was no difference among groups regarding global rates of VF change and the risk of reaching a progression endpoint. Conclusions: Despite different clinical features, epidemiology and genetics, glaucoma phenotype is not an independent risk factor for VF progression. Rather, variations in well‐known, reported risk factors remain important disease parameters that affect progression.