Computer test logics for automatic perimetry

Abstract

Using an automatic computerized perimeter developed by Heijl & Krakau (1975b) three different perimetric test logics, one simple (I) and two more complicated and time-consuming (II & III) were investigated in practical experiments on healthy normal test subjects and patients and in computer simulated tests. The patients either had a verified diagnosis of glaucoma or glaucoma was suspected. The best consistency in measured thresholds was obtained with test logic II, in which an averaging procedure is used. The variation of the results was larger in pathological than in normal visual fields. All test logics investigated readily detected the pathological field defects, but blind spots could easier pass unrecognized with the simplest logic than with the other two logics. The conclusion is drawn that a simple test logic can be used for perimetry in glaucoma suspects if no visual field defect has previously been documented. For the follow-up of pathological fields a fairly complicated test logic, e.g. using averaging, is preferable.