Press Releases: Southern California
July 19, 2004
Thirteen distinct patterns of color vision impairment shown in diabetic retinopathy patients
Ophthalmologists gain new understanding of condition
PASADENA, Calif. – Ophthalmologists have identified thirteen distinct patterns in color vision impairment caused by diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of acquired blindness which can occur at any time following the onset of diabetes and is preventable with proper examination and treatment.
"Our paper describes the patterns of color or hue discrimination impairment we found in diabetic patients enrolled in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS)," said Donald Fong, MD, of the Department of Ophthalmology, Southern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, and the UCLA School of Medicine. "About 26 percent of ETDRS patients showed a hue discrimination defect."
The study was published in the July 5, 2004 edition of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
Diabetic retinopathy, when retinal blood vessels leak, can occur in advanced or long-term diabetes patients and can affect the macula, a highly sensitive part of the retina responsible for central vision.
Color baseline measurements were obtained from 2,701 patients enrolled in the ETDRS, a clinical trial evaluating using a laser to seal weak or leaking blood vessels in the retina, and aspirin therapy in diabetic retinopathy.
Hue discrimination was measured using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-Hue test. The test results were classified by cluster analysis, a tool which ascertains the degree of association between items in the same or different groups.
The study's other authors are Franca B. Barton, MS, and Genell L Knatterud, PhD, of the Maryland Medical Research Institute; George H. Bresnick, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester; and Marian R. Fisher, PhD, University of Wisconsin.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is America's leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.3 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the for-profit Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region includes more than 49,900 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,000 physicians representing all specialties. More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at kaiserpermanente.org.
