The influence of the learning effect on automated perimetry in patients with suspected glaucoma

Abstract

The influence of the learning effect on the outcome of automated perimetry was studied as a function of eccentricity. The same comprised 20 patients with suspected glaucoma who were all naive to automated perimetry. Visual field examination of the right eye followed by that of the left eye was undertaken on each of three successive days and after a further interval of 12 days using a customized full-field program of the Humphrey Field Analyser 630 (stimulus size III). The program comprised 60 points out to an eccentricity of 60 degrees with an interstimulus grid of 12 degrees. Global, central, peripheral, superior and inferior mean sensitivity each significantly increased (P less than or equal to 0.01) from the first to the second right eye examinations and from the third to the fourth left eye examinations (P less than or equal to 0.01). The global short-term fluctuation, central mean defect and number of stimulus presentations decreased from the first to the second right eye examination (P 0.01). The order of examination between eyes and the interval between examination sessions influences the response recorded by automated perimetry.