A visual field test measures how far and how sensitively a person can see in different directions while looking straight ahead. It is vital in diagnosing glaucoma and neurological disease.
Types of testing
Modern perimetry is usually automated.
- Static automated perimetry, such as Humphrey or Octopus, presents light spots at various locations and intensities
- Goldmann kinetic perimetry uses moving targets, useful for certain patients
- Screening tests can quickly pick up gross defects
- Results are displayed as grayscale maps, numeric plots, and indices
Clinical uses
Field patterns provide diagnostic clues.
- Arcuate and nasal step defects in glaucoma
- Bitemporal hemianopia in chiasmal compression
- Homonymous hemianopia in post-chiasmal lesions
- Regular follow-up fields track disease progression and treatment efficacy
