Is Visual Field Testing by Confrontation Obsolete?

In this study, one ophthalmologist examined 138 outpatients in an eye clinic using 7 commonly used visual-field confrontation tests. The resulting false-positive and false-negative rates . . .

In this study, one ophthalmologist examined 138 outpatients in an eye clinic using 7 commonly used visual-field confrontation tests. The resulting false-positive and false-negative rates were compared with those of an automated perimetric test, the Humphrey Visual Field 24-2 (HVF 24-2) test. The 7 confrontation techniques, apparently used in a fairly standard manner, were: description of the examiner's face, quadrant finger-counting, the kinetic to finger test, the kinetic to 20-mm white-object test, the kinetic to 20-mm red-object test, the red-color comparison test, and the central field to 5-mm red-object test. The Amsler grid was not included.

With the HVF 24-2 test as the reference standard, confrontation testing produced no false posit…

Reviewing Author

Don C. Bienfang, MD