Purpose. This study was performed to investigate motion perception in patients with glaucoma. Methods. A random dot motion test was used to measure three aspects of central motion perception: minimum displacement threshold (D(min), maximum displacement threshold (D(max), and coherence threshold (signal to noise). Motion perception was assessed in 15 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, 23 low-risk patients in whom glaucoma was suspected, and 24 age-matched normal subjects. Results. Central motion perception was significantly impaired in patients with glaucoma; in particular, the D(min) was nearly twice that for the normal subjects (glaucoma mean, -0.27 +/- 0.24 log minutes of arc; normal mean, -0.56 +/- 0.13 log minutes of arc; F = 21.79, P < 0.00 1). Furthermore, D(min) values fell outside the normal range in 10 of the 15 patients with glaucoma, despite normal visual acuity and normal foveal perimetric thresholds. Coherence thresholds and D(max) did not discriminate between patients with glaucoma and normal subjects. D(min) was not correlated with any indices of perimetric sensitivity, and none of the tests of motion perception showed any abnormalities in patients in whom glaucoma was suspected. Conclusions. Central motion perception can be affected in glaucoma and may reflect preferential damage to larger retinal ganglion cells. Future work will measure D(min) in a larger population of patients with suspected glaucoma and those with glaucoma, and investigate peripheral motion perception in glaucoma.
