Optometry and Vision Science

Biography

Biography: Shroug M Aldaham

Abstract

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression has a direct effect on vision, which by time will cause visual deterioration.
(1) Localized visual field (VF) sensitivity losses were reported in diabetics with background DR and clinically significant
macular edema.(2,3) There is little information however about VF changes in diabetics without retinopathy.
Purpose: To review VF changes in diabetics without retinopathy.
Methods: A literature review was conducted on testing VF in diabetics without retinopathy. The search criteria considered the
type of diabetes, the type of VF stimulus presented, and the instrument used.
Results: The source of variability in the VF results in diabetics depended on the difference in the instrument and/or stimulus
used, as VF changes were reported for some instruments while others did not report any change. (i.e. whether it was standard
automated perimetry, short wavelength automated [blue-yellow] perimetry, or frequency doubling [FDT] perimetry).
Differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetics were also reported. When compared to type 1 diabetics, few studies have tested
type 2 diabetics without retinopathy.

Conclusions: Care should be taken when comparing VF changes between studies related to the type of diabetes, type of
stimulus and instrument used. This presentation will further elaborate the differences between VF tests. Also, clinical VF data
for type 2 diabetics without retinopathy will be presented; aiming to see if VF testing can be used as a clinical screening tool for
type 2 diabetics before retinopathy is detected.