A visual field test, also known as a field of vision test or eye field test, is a vital component in diagnosing and managing glaucoma, neurological conditions, and retinal diseases. Ensuring accurate visual field screening requires more than just sophisticated equipment. It depends on skilled technicians, well-prepared patients, and best practices for test setup and monitoring. Here’s how your practice can improve the accuracy and reliability of every field test eye exam.
1. Train Your Technicians for Accurate Visual Field Testing
The foundation of reliable visual field testing starts with trained technicians. They must fully understand how to use the equipment and interpret basic indicators of test quality. Virtual Field supports eye care teams by offering:
- A detailed online user manual and quick-start guide
- Unlimited onboarding sessions with a dedicated customer success manager
- Live guidance and training for real-time troubleshooting
This comprehensive approach helps ensure your team can confidently conduct any field test eye exam, improving consistency and patient outcomes.
2. Prepare the Patient Before Testing Their Field of Vision
Proper visual field screening begins before the test starts. Patients must be calm, well-informed, and physically ready. To prepare them effectively:
- Use a standardized script for consistent instruction delivery.
- Talk with patients before testing to assess fatigue, stress, or discomfort.
- Clarify expectations so patients know it’s not a pass/fail test — just a measurement of how well they see in different areas.
Clear instructions and patient awareness improve the accuracy of testing field of vision.
3. Set the Stage for the Visual Field Exam
During the exam setup, technicians should follow these steps to optimize results:
Control Lighting
Although virtual exams can be done anywhere, a dimly lit room is ideal. It reduces distractions and improves the reliability of visual field test outcomes.
Address Language Barriers
With Virtual Field, instructions are available in over 40 languages, ensuring that every patient understands what’s expected.
Explain the Process
Let patients know blinking is okay and that they can request a restart at any time. Reassure them it’s not a performance test—false positives often result from anxiety.
Assess Eye Conditions
Check for dry eyes or ptosis. Use artificial tears if necessary or tape the eyelids when ptosis obstructs vision. These small steps help avoid false readings during visual field testing.
Ensure Comfort
Whether seated or reclining, patient comfort helps reduce movement and improve test reliability. Virtual Field makes this easier with portable, flexible testing options—including for wheelchair users.
Verify Lens Placement
Use trial lenses to correct refractive error and position them correctly to avoid distortion in the field of vision test.
Align VR Headsets Correctly
In virtual reality-based visual field exams, even slight misalignments can impact results. Center the headset for accurate stimulus delivery and prevent general depression or localized field defects.
4. Conduct the Test with Active Monitoring
Technicians shouldn’t just start the exam and walk away. During a visual field test, they should:
- Monitor the fixation tracker to detect poor concentration or eye closure
- Look for signs of false responses and intervene when needed
- Restart tests when necessary (Virtual Field can auto-pause for inactivity)
- Coordinate with the physician before switching test strategies (e.g., from 24-2 to 10-2 for advanced glaucoma)
Technicians play a crucial role in the accuracy of every eye field test.
5. Know When to Discard a Result
Not every field test eye exam yields usable data. Here’s how to decide whether a test should be repeated:
- False Positives Over 15–20%: Often due to patient anxiety or misunderstanding
- Fixation Losses: May not always be significant, but consistent losses can skew results
- False Negatives: Common in late-stage disease—use pattern over time to judge validity
- Inconsistent Reliability Across Tests: Look for patterns over multiple exams rather than relying on a single test
6. Match the Exam Type to the Clinical Need
Virtual Field offers various patterns for testing field of vision, each tailored for specific scenarios:
Choosing the right visual field screening type ensures more targeted and effective patient care.
Final Thoughts
Improving your visual field test process — from technician training to patient prep and exam monitoring— can dramatically enhance the quality of your clinical data. With tools like Virtual Field, practices can streamline visual field testing, minimize variability, and achieve more accurate results across all patient populations.
About Virtual Field
Virtual Field delivers an exceptional eye exam experience. Eye care professionals including ophthalmologists and optometrists examine patients faster, more efficiently, and more comfortably than ever before. Exams include Visual Field, 24-2, Kinetic Visual Field (Goldmann Perimetry), Ptosis, Esterman, Color Vision, Pupillometry, Extraocular Motility (EOM), and more.