Perimetry (2. LF UK)

Introduction
Perimetry is a method for getting information about status of visual field and its possible abnormalities. It is a subjective method of examination, which always needs cooperation of the patient, and possibility of errors must be thought of.

Visual field is the area that one eye is able to see without moving the angle of vision

Normal visual field of human eye is about 60% upwards, 70% downwards 65% towards the nose and 95% outwards. We are able to distinguish between central vision and peripheral vision. As the name says, central vision gives us information from the center of the visual field of the eye. This area is about one fifth of the whole visual field but over 80% of eyesight information comes from this area. Area of peripheral vision is around central vision and it does not give us as sharp image as the central vision.

The status of visual field gives us useful information, not only about function of retina, but the condition of optic nerve and intracranial section of visual path.

Importance to Clinical Medicine
Perimetry is mainly used in Ophthalmology which is a branch of medicine that discusses the diseases of the eyeball such as Blindness, cataract and glaucoma.

The perimetry test is based on detecting the blind spot of the eye, and therefore it discusses the problem of scotoma which can be a sign of a disease in the eye.

The most important use for Perimetry is to prevent the damage of the optic nerve or even the central nervous system, the visual structures in the brain and also the diseases of the eye which can cause peripheral vision loss and other visual field abnormalities. The most commonly discussed disease by the Perimetry is glaucoma that can cause damage to the optic nerve. The Perimetry test is also used to diagnose many diseases other than glaucoma such as macular degeneration, optic glicoma, brain tumor, stroke, central nervous system disorder and the pituitary gland disorder.

The results of the Perimetry test can tell in which areas the patient have a problem in his visual field.

Literature Review
Perimetry has become one of the more evolved concepts of medicine, which physicians use to further develop their understanding of some diseases, especially with cases of glaucoma. This disease is the elevated internal pressure in the eye which subsequently degrades the field of vision. Perimetry is a test that measures field of vision. Through this means, we can further our understanding of the glaucoma and evaluate an individual’s condition.

Perimetry is a visual field test that measures the subject’s central and peripheral vision. To do this procedure, one eye has to be completely covered as only one eye can be tested at a time. The subject has to look to a perimeter, a device that measures the capabilities of an individual’s field of vision. This device has a defined white background, which optimizes results and sends them to the program in a computer. A doctor and a patient work coherently, the patient is displayed flashes on this background. The computer creates a printout of all the positions of the flashes on the background and distinguishes the field of vision depending on how well the patient reacted to the stimuli. The disease, glaucoma, as before mentioned, can be predicted if the subject shows to have more than one blind spot as well as degraded areas of their vision.

Perimetry is a particularly well developed field in that it is a reliable means to test an individual’s field of vision. However, this procedure is subjective; it is only able to be as efficient and reliable in its results as the subject is able or willing to participate. Only with the subject’s full co-operation can the test be successful and reliable. The results however, can never be definitive as each subject, does not and/or cannot behave and carry out this procedure with the accuracy and precision of the technology present. The only disadvantage is that no matter the conditions, subject or technology, the results from the test will not be as accurate as they can be, but at the same time, is the most accurate method to use at this time.

Perimetry can be described as stagnant, regarding its testing procedure. There are no changes, minute if any, to the test. If a subject, that experiences vision loss, partakes in this test several times, he or she will develop a learning curve that will help them subconsciously perform better. For example, a 1996 study examined twenty-five individuals that were just newly detected with glaucomatous eyes. The results of the study determined that “visual field results improved with repeated testing” and these results “were more pronounced peripherally than centrally” (Heijl). Results to this test cannot be strictly followed depending on the amount of exposure of the test to the subject as well as the subject’s capability to perform this test.

Automated Perimeter MEDMONT M-700.
The perimeter is used usually by the ophthalmologists. It is one of the best tool for assessing visual fields.
 * Fixation point : fixation target at which the patient must fix their vision.
 * The response button to use when the patient see the light goes off.
 * The eyepatch you will use to cover one eye.

The operating software MEDMONT STUDIO
This software is an advanced system analysis with many options such as:
 * Global Statistics
 * Regression and Histogram analysis
 * Full patient history

Methodology
Practical Use of the Perimeter

Procedure:
 * 1) Turn on the perimeter table,perimeter, and the computer.
 * 2) Using the program Medmont, register one of the group members as a patient (File/New/Patient) and then save the data you entered.
 * 3) Run an examination on your patient (File/New/M700N Exam). You will see initial test control window. This window is the representation of the Perimeter. The grey points are the points that will not be tested. The numbers inside the black dots represent the exposure level in decibels and based on the Age Normal Hill of Vision Distribution.
 * 4) Select the type o the exam: Glaucoma test. Then choose the eye you want to test and set it in the program settings. After it, click Edit Setting in the Test Menu.  From the Stimulus Parameters group select Standard.
 * 5) Tick Adaptive Response checkbox, which means that as the test progresses the response time will adapt based on how quickly the patient responds to exposures.
 * 6) From the Strategy box select Fast threshold.
 * 7) Cover one eye of the patient. Patient should focus his eye on the fixation target
 * 8) Start demonstration mode. After patient is familiar with setting press the start button. IMPORTANT: Test will start immediately.
 * 9) Patient should follow the light and click for every light he or she follows.
 * 10) Surroundings shall not disturb the patient no one shall talk enter or exit the room.
 * 11) Dots will change colour:in the course of the test blue – not tested; red -  tested, not seen; green – tested, seen; white – completed state.
 * 12) After the test, the result status will be displayed on the program.

Conclusion
The modern type of perimetry, “White-on-white” perimetry is used in the vast majority of research projects and hospitals; yet many tests and histological studies proved this type of perimetry to be simply not sensitive enough. Furthermore, it can be stated that it is a subjective test rather than an objective as the person can guess when the light is on. Studies showed that only after 25-50% loss of ganglion cells (although field of vision might not be affected that much), perimetry could detect only mild deficit.

Testing Subset of Ganglions Instead of the Whole Nerve
Most of the newly developing tests focus on testing different optic pathways – different parts of optic nerve transmitting information about: 1) motion; 2) colour and form: 3) short-wavelengths information. Testing the subset of ganglions (1-3) proved to be a more reliable than white-on-white perimetry for detection of specific diseases (mainly glaucoma).

Improvement in Reliability by Removing Subjectivity
Another option may remove subjectivity from perimetry. This technology is a theory now: we could connect directly to the optic nerve and the corresponding part of the brain to check if the patient really sees the light or they just guess.

First solution would undoubtedly allow us to detect glaucoma at much early stages and slow down/avoid ganglion loss. Second solution could transform subjective into objective and add reliability to the test.

References:
2015. Web. 12 Dec. 2016. "Low-, Medium-, and High-risk Ocular Hypertensive Eyes." Archives of Ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960). U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 1995. Web. 12 Dec. 2016. Experience in Patients With Glaucoma." The JAMA Network. JAMA Ophthalmology, 01 Jan. 1996. Web. 12 Dec. 2016. Procedures; Article in Clinical and Experimental Optometry 2005; Allison M McKendrick; MScOptom PhD; School of Psychology, University of Western Australia; P. 73; 74; 75. (2 links are given for the same information) file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Recent_developments_in_perimetry_Test_stimuli_and_.pdf
 * Sheppard, John, MD. "Visual Field Test: Learn How the Procedure Is Performed." MedicineNet. Ed. William C. Shiel. N.p., 6 Mar.
 * Johnson, CA, Brandt, JD, Khong, AM, and Adams, AJ.
 * PhD, Anders Heijl MD. "The Effect of Perimetric
 * Recent Developments in Perimetry: Test Stimuli and

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1444-0938.2005.tb06671.x/epdf Chris A. Johnson, PhD, DSc; November 2015; Volume 13; http://glaucomatoday.com/2015/12/the-next-generation-in-perimetry http://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/why-do-i-need-a-visual-field-test.php
 * Glaucoma Today; Title: The Next Generation in Perimetry; By
 * HealthLine Website; izual Field Exam;Wrtten by: Janelle Martel; Medically Review by Seven Kim; 6th January 2016 http://www.healthline.com/health/visual-field#AutomatedPerimetryTest4
 * AllAboutVision Website; Visual Field Testing; Written by Marilyn Haddrill; Reviewed by Charles Slonim, MD; http://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/visual-field.htm
 * Glaucoma Research Foundation Website; Why do I need a visual test? Written by Anna C. Momont, MD and Richard P. Mills, MD, MPH; Last Reviewed: Spetember 2014i