Motion perception deficits in glaucomatous optic neuropathy

The mechanisms mediating impaired motion perception in glaucoma were investigated. Direction discrimination thresholds for low (4.2 deg/sec) and high (12.5 deg/sec) velocity random-dot kinematograms were measured in controls and patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Thresholds were elevated significantly in glaucoma patients and individual ocular hypertensives. Threshold elevations were not due to blur or pupil size. After compensating for motion reversals, high but not low velocity thresholds remained elevated. Only high velocity thresholds correlated with differential luminance sensitivity. A hypothesis that different mechanisms mediate glaucoma-induced deficits at high and low velocities is presented.