COMPUTERIZED VISUAL FIELD

Visual Field Analyzers are used investigate and quantify visual field loss, which allows for the early detection of glaucoma, retinal pathologies and brain lesions. The area in space that may be visualized by the eye is known as the visual field. Plotting of the visual field is important for many disorders, particularly disorders of the optic nerve and brain. This includes glaucoma (an optic nerve disease), strokes, and brain tumors. Patients often incorrectly assume that because they can see their hand waving off in the periphery, their peripheral vision is fine. However, testing peripheral vision with such a gross test as a waving hand is likely only to be useful for the most severe losses of peripheral vision that sometimes occur after a stroke. The more common but subtle peripheral vision defects may only be detected by the sophisticated methodology of a computerized visual field analyzer. This device systematically plots the field of vision using threshold testing, which allows the determination of retinal sensitivity in any given location. We then interpret the results. A visual field analyzer is essentially used to evaluate, diagnose, monitor and follow patients with suspected or actual glaucoma, retinal pathologies and brain lesions.

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