Author/Authors :
Lin, Shuai‑Chun Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Zheng, Cindy X Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Waisbourd, Michael Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Molineaux, Jeanne Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Zeng, Lichuan Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Zhan, Tingting Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics - Thomas Jefferson University - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Rahmatnejad, Kamran Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Resende, Arthur Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Mantravadi, Anand V Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Hark, Lisa A Department of Ophthalmology - Columbia University Medical Center - New York, USA , Moster, Marlene R Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Markoff, Joseph I Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Spaeth, George L Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA , Katz, L. Jay Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center - Philadelphia - PA, USA
Abstract :
Purpose: We compare the prevalence of glaucoma in professional wind versus non‑wind instrument players
in the Philadelphia Orchestra. Visual field changes in individuals with glaucoma and glaucoma suspects
were evaluated, and the results were correlated with cumulative practice time.
Methods: In this cross‑sectional, observational study, fifty‑one Philadelphia Orchestra musicians were enrolled
and categorized as wind or non‑wind instrument players. All study participants underwent screening fundus
photography. Participants with optic discs suspicious for glaucoma underwent further evaluation, including
standard automated visual field perimetry and a comprehensive eye examination by a glaucoma specialist.
Results: Of the 51 musicians enrolled, 9 of the 21 wind instrument players (43%) and 8 of the 30 non‑wind
instrument players (27%) were suspected of developing glaucoma in at least one eye (P = 0.25), with
examinations performed on 12 of the 17 returning musicians (71%) for further confirmation. Wind instrument
players exhibited significantly higher Octopus visual field mean defect scores (1.08 ± 1.5 dB) than non‑wind
instrument players (−0.43 ± 0.7 dB; P < 0.001). There was a significant association between cumulative hours
playing wind instruments and visual field mean defect (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Among members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the difference in prevalence of glaucoma suspicious
optic discs between wind and non‑wind instrument players was not significant. The clinical significance of the
greater visual field mean defect found in wind instrument players, and the association between the degree of
visual field mean defect and the cumulative practice‑time of playing wind instruments, needs further investigation.
