Evidence of progressive optic disc damage is highly predictive of future functional loss in glaucoma

This prospective longitudinal study included 407 patients (639 eyes) with suspected glaucoma who were followed for an average of eight years with annual standard automated perimetry visual field and optic disc stereophotographs. Patients who had progressive optic disc change on stereophotographs had an almost 26 times higher chance of developing a visual field defect during follow-up. Presence of optic disc progression was the most important predictive factor for conversion, well above other known risk factors such as IOL and corneal thickness.