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OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of using pupillary light reflex (PLR) in detecting glaucoma. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Glaucoma is a specific disease of the optic nerve and is often more severe in 1 eye. When large enough, this asymmetry in disease severity can cause a relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD). Better detection of RAPDs may be one way to identify persons with glaucoma. METHODS: We searched Medline and Embase through June 2012 and searched bibliographies for relevant studies for additional references. Two authors independently reviewed all articles and selected studies that assessed PLRs in patients with glaucoma. We analyzed data using mixed-effect bivariate summary receiver operating characteristic meta-analysis models. RESULTS: A total of 30 studies were included in this review. An RAPD was observed in 9% to 82% of patients with glaucoma. Eleven studies with a total of 7271 participants were included in the analysis, and the pooled estimate corresponded to a sensitivity of 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.80) and a specificity of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85-0.97). After excluding 2 studies that used the swinging flashlight test, the sensitivity increased to 0.74 (95% CI, 0.59-0.85) with a specificity of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.77-0.90). Study designs and different pupil measurement techniques explained part of the heterogeneity between studies. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with glaucoma frequently have an abnormal PLR and comparing the responses between the 2 eyes can in part distinguish between those with glaucoma and those without the disease. Newer instruments and analytic approaches to assess pupil function may improve the performance of pupil screening. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Maryland; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: dchang20@jhmi.edu.
Full article6.30 Other (Part of: 6 Clinical examination methods)
2.8 Iris (Part of: 2 Anatomical structures in glaucoma)