Aspects of Automated Perimetry

Visual field test is the measurement of the total area or the perceived “space” of peripheral vision for an eye fixed on a stationary object. In the late 1970s computer technology was combined with visual field testing resulting in the introduction of the first automated perimeters. Perimeters are classified as manual or automated depending on whether the stimulus is moved by hand as in the Goldmann perimeter or if the stimulus location is changed by a computerized mechanism incorporated into the instrument as in the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA). Recently there have been several new developments in automated perimetry that have contributed to enhanced diagnosis and management of glaucoma. The classical algorithms of automated perimetry but also the latest advances like SITA Faster algorithm are detailed described. All the novel techniques are also discussed and which has been shown to be a rapid effective method of detecting glaucomatous visual field loss and have demonstrated the ability to predict the onset and progression of glaucomatous visual field deficits.