Peripapillary microperimetry for the diagnosis and follow-up of papilledema in cases treated for idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

To evaluate the use of peripapillary microperimetry in the diagnosis and follow-up of medically and surgically treated cases of papilledema due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). This study was a prospective non-comparative observational case series of patients with IIH. All patients underwent full ophthalmological examination, radiological imaging, and lumbar puncture, as well as microperimetric measurements around the optic nerve head. Patients were classified into a medical group, treated by weight reduction and acetazolamide, and a surgical group, treated by optic nerve sheath fenestration. Peripapillary microperimetric examinations were done at presentation and after one-month of treatment. Findings were compared to values obtained from an age-matched healthy control group. The study included 78 eyes of 39 patients diagnosed with IIH and 32 eyes of 16 healthy control subjects. The average of the sum of the 12 peripapillary microperimetric thresholds for both eyes of IIH cases before treatment was 53.4±59.9 dB, while for controls it was 171±14.0 dB (p<0.001). After 1 month of treatment, it improved to 86.7±56.1 dB (p<0.001) in IIH cases. Analyzed separately, the medical group improved from 68.9±43.4 dB to 105.2±76.5 dB (p<0.001), while the surgical group improved from 13.5±21.9 dB to 54.9±35.5 dB (p<0.001). Several potential roles for peripapillary microperimetry use in IIH management were identified including confirming papilledema diagnosis, follow up of treatment, and selection of cases for surgery. Microperimetry can accurately and quantitatively monitor changes in peripapillary retinal sensitivity in patients undergoing treatment for papilledema due to IIH.