The feasibility of short automated static perimetry in children

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of short automated static perimetry using tendency-oriented perimetry in the pediatric population, Design: Prospective observational case series. Participants: Fifty normal children age 6 through 12 years. Testing: Subjects underwent testing with the Octopus TOP-32 program on the Octopus 1-2-3 automated perimeter, Testing was performed in a typical clini cal setting without adaptations to the perimeter, prolonged training, or th e use of custom seating. Each eye was tested twice. Main Outcome Measures: Ability to complete automated static perimetry tests with both eyes. Mean sensitivity, mean defect, and loss of variance; gray scale and numeric representations of the field; duration of each test and o f the entire session; subjective assessment of each test as normal or abnor mal; calculation of test specificity. Comparisons by age and test number we re performed. Results: All subjects successfully completed all four tests. The mean durat ion for each test was 2:30 +/- 0.23 minutes. The average time for the whole session, including training, testing both eyes twice, and rest periods, wa s 25.8 +/- 4.87 minutes. Improvement in the specificity of the test (fewer abnormal tests in normal children) occurred in direct relation to subject a ge (R = 0.5). Conclusions: Automated static perimetry using short, tendency-oriented prog rams can be successfully performed in normal children age 6 through 12 year s in a typical clinical setting. Age was the best predictor of the mean sen sitivity, reproducibility, and accuracy of the test, with the most reliable results obtained after 7 years of age. In children 6 to 7 years old, signi ficant interindividual variability was present, and testing success was mor e dependent on the child's maturity and ability to concentrate. Short autom ated perimetry seems to be a promising tool for the evaluation of periphera l vision in pediatric patients. Ophthalmology 2001;108:157-162 (C) 2001 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.