Has your Canberra optometrist asked you to have a visual field test? What is this, and why is it important?
A visual field test is an integral part of your eye health check. It measures the width of your field of vision when you are looking straight ahead. It is essentially testing your peripheral or side vision. While our central vision is crucial for tasks like reading, our peripheral vision plays a vital role in mobility, enabling us to navigate our environment and avoid obstacles.
Visual field tests can detect blind spots and areas where your vision may be reduced, and often before you notice that it’s a problem. It helps diagnose, monitor and manage diseases that can affect your peripheral vision. Numerous conditions affect your peripheral vision. These can include
- Glaucoma – which is an eye disease causing a loss of peripheral vision, and can lead to tunnel vision if left untreated
- Stroke or brain injuries can cause a loss of some regions of your peripheral vision, depending on which area of your brain was affected.
- Retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa can cause a loss of peripheral vision.
The Australian driving standards also have a vision standard for peripheral vision. You may be required to perform one when renewing your licence.
So, what should I expect when having this test?
Visual field tests are a quick and simple test that can be performed in under 5 minutes. You will be seated in front of a bowl-shaped machine while your chin rests on a support. Throughout the test, you focus on a central light in the middle of the bowl while small lights flash in your peripheral vision. These lights will vary in brightness. When you notice a peripheral light flash, you press a button, all while looking at the central target.
Generally, each eye is tested one at a time, but in some cases, we test both eyes together. In some instances, the whole test can last between 5 and 6 minutes.
The Bottom Line
A visual field test is a quick, non-invasive way to check for subtle changes in your vision, particularly those you might not notice on your own. It’s a vital tool in diagnosing eye diseases and monitoring neurological health. At Capital Eye, your optometrist in Canberra, we use fast and accurate equipment to measure your visual fields, reducing the risk of patient fatigue and the need to repeat the visual field test later on.
If you have a family history of reduced peripheral vision, such as a family ocular history of glaucoma, make a booking with your optometrist in Canberra today!