Visual field defects of stages I-IV, in 451 eyes of 451 glaucoma patients, were examined with the Octopus 201 perimeter: 83 patients with low-tension glaucoma (LTG), 316 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and 52 patients with pigmentary glaucoma (PG). Program 31 or 33 was used, with an eccentricity range of up to 30 degrees, 73 test points, and a 6 degrees grid. The mean total field loss (TL) as well as the mean loss per test point (TL/TP) in the 30 degrees field, in the field quadrants, and in the eccentricity ranges from 0-10 degrees, 10-20 degrees, and 20-30 degrees were calculated for each patient with Program Delta. In addition, for each visual field the quotient of total loss and of the number of disturbed test points was calculated, providing a measurement of the mean depth of the field defects. For definition and comparison of visual fields in the different glaucomas at identical stages of the disease according to the amount of TL, the 3 patient groups were subdivided into 4 stages of sensitivity loss: Stage 1: TL less than or equal to 100 dB; Stage 2: TL 101-400 dB; Stage 3: TL 401-800 dB; Stage 4: 801-1600 dB. The results of a comparison of eyes with LTG, POAG, and PG at the same stage of disease were as follows: I. Location of scotomas: 1. Defects more frequent in the lower field in LTG as compared to POAG in stage 2. 2. Defects more frequent in the upper than in the lower field in POAG. 3. Almost equal number of defects in the upper and lower halves in PG. 4. In all 3 glaucoma types the defects are more frequently found in the nasal than in the temporal half of the visual field. 5. In LTG and POAG of all stages the defects are most frequently found in the upper nasal and most seldom in the lower temporal quadrant. 6. In all glaucoma types the defects occur on average most frequently between 10 degrees and 20 degrees of eccentricity. 7. With increasing IOP in POAG the scotomas tend to be equally distributed in the upper and lower quadrants. II. Depth of scotomas: 1. Scotomas are deepest in LTG; they are less deep in POAG, and least deep in PG. 2. In PG the mean scotoma depth depends significantly on maximum IOP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)