TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINING GLAUCOMATOUS VISUAL-FIELD PROGRESSION BY USING ANIMATION GRAPHICS

The first two visual field examinations of each of 16 glaucoma suspect s and 16 glaucoma patients, who were followed up for a median of 7.46 years with seven examinations; were averaged. Three-dimensional color- coded images of the visual field were then generated. After correcting for test-retest variability, the images, as well as additional interp olated images, were aligned and presented in rapid succession to creat e an animation sequence. Five glaucoma specialists trained themselves to classify the visual fields as either progressing or not progressing . The interobserver arid intraobserver agreement rates were then calcu lated. Perfect agreement (100% concordance) between the observers was obtained for 18 (56.3%) subjects and at least 80% concordance was obta ined for 27 (84.4%) subjects. Of the eight sequences that were repeate d to test intraobserver agreement, four of the five observers hid a va lue of at least 87.5%.