Melanopsin-mediated pupillary light reflex and sleep quality in patients with normal tension glaucoma

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Purpose: The intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) and sleep quality are impaired in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). In this study, we investigated whether ipRGCs and sleep quality were also impaired in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Methods: We performed pupillometry and sleep quality assessment in 15 patients with NTG and 17 healthy age-matched controls. Pupillometry protocol consisted of monocular stimulation with high illuminance (100 lux) red (633 nm, 300 cd/m 2 or 15.23 log quanta/cm 2 /s) and blue light (463 nm, 332 cd/m 2 or 15.27 log quanta/cm 2 /s) and binocular pupil measurements. Prior to light stimulation, patients were dark-adapted for 5 min. The late postillumination pupillary response (PIPR L ate ) to blue light was used as marker of ipRGC activity. Sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Results: The PIPR L ate to blue light was significantly reduced in patients with NTG compared to healthy subjects (p < 0.001), indicating impairment of the melanopsin-mediated pupillary pathway. There was no significant difference in the response elicited by red light (p = 0.6). Baseline pupil diameter and pupillary constriction amplitude to both red and blue light were reduced in patients with NTG (p < 0.05). The global score in PSQI was not significantly different between healthy controls and patients with NTG, indicating normal sleep quality (p = 0.6). Furthermore, we found no correlation between sleep parameters and pupillary light reflex parameters. Conclusion: Patients with NTG exhibited reduced ipRGC activity compared to healthy subjects, while no differences were observed in sleep quality.

Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Ophthalmologica
Volume98
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)65-73
ISSN1755-375X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

    Research areas

  • intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, normal tension glaucoma, postillumination pupillary response, pupillary light reflex, sleep

ID: 227582233