The Best Visual Field Machines in 2025 | Virtual Field

Your patients rely on accurate visual testing and deserve a quality experience, while your practice needs a smooth workflow with a good return on investment. To meet all these needs in 2025, eye care practice owners are rethinking the visual field experience. They’re weighing their options between legacy devices and newer, more flexible options. Whether it's time to upgrade or expand your services, this article provides a comprehensive guide to help you evaluate the key differences that set top visual field machines apart, so you can choose the best option for your practice.

What is a Visual Field Analyzer (AKA Visual Field Device, or Visual Field Machine)?

A visual field machine may go by many names — field analyzer, automated perimeter, or perimetry device — but they all serve the same purpose. This tool tests the range and sensitivity of a patient’s peripheral vision.

Visual field testing helps diagnose and monitor conditions like glaucoma, retinal disease, macular degeneration, and neurological disorders. During the test, visual field machines present stimuli in strategic locations in the patient’s visual field, then track responses and map deficiencies. This is especially useful for early detection, tracking disease progression, and making targeted treatment plans.

Tabletop vs. Portable Visual Field Machines: What You Need to Know

Today, there are two major categories of visual field machines: tabletop units and headsets.

Tabletop perimeters have long been the standard. Their eye test results are proven and reliable, and many practice owners consider these the default. However, they’re bulky, require a dedicated darkened room, and long testing times monopolize your technicians’ schedule and interrupt workflow. Awkward testing positions that erode the patient experience can have a marked impact on your practice’s reputation and ROI.

With this in mind, more and more of the eye care industry is rethinking their standard of care. Headset perimeters are the modern answer to portability, workflow improvement, and better patient accessibility. These systems use virtual vision exams that allow you to test anywhere, and they’re often a better fit for high-throughput clinics or off-site care. This can translate directly to a smoother patient experience and healthier practice revenue.

Both formats have their place, but practices looking for flexibility with a technology upgrade are increasingly shifting toward headsets.

Important Features for a Visual Field Machine

When you’re choosing a new visual field system, consider how it will fit into your practice’s day-to-day operations. Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and retina specialists have different needs, but these are the features that matter to them all.

Testing Coverage

At a minimum, your visual field machine should support a range of protocols that you use often. 24-2, 30-2, and 10-2 assess central and peripheral vision, so most practices rely on these standard tests. If you operate a specialty practice or serve a niche patient demographic, consider additional testing capabilities, such as pupillometry or extraocular motility. Look for devices with accurate threshold testing and advanced algorithms to reduce false positives and improve reliability. Then, ensure you choose a device with room to grow alongside your practice’s diagnostic needs.

Comfort and Portability

Patient comfort impacts test accuracy. Repeated tests can be time-consuming, and for some patients with physical limitations, using tabletop options may not be feasible at all. Headset-based systems allow patients to sit comfortably in almost any position, whereas tabletop systems can strain posture and require more cooperation. Portability also means flexible scheduling and a smoother workflow.

Interoperability

Any visual field system worth considering in 2025 must integrate seamlessly with your EMR/EHR. Automatic data syncing, privacy compliance, and secure cloud storage are now baseline expectations. If you’re looking for advanced analytics or custom reporting (a common request for practices with multiple locations or diverse patient populations), consider systems with robust and modern optometry software.

Customer Support

Even the most advanced tech needs occasional support. Fast, responsive customer service with minimal downtime prevents bottlenecks in your scheduling. When choosing a visual field machine, ask about setup support, ongoing training, warranty coverage, and how quickly you can get live troubleshooting help. A good support team can save you hours (or even days) of downtime, which directly translates to increased patient satisfaction and clinic revenue.

Pricing

Naturally, you’ll need to consider prices when equipping your practice. Visual field machines can range from a couple of hundred dollars per month to tens of thousands upfront. It’s a significant investment, so make sure you’re comparing every feature critical to your operations. Consider the device cost, subscription pricing, time per test, staff training burden, software, and service fees. Next, calculate how quickly your visual field machine could generate return on investment (ROI). With the right choice, you can be cash flow positive within just a few tests.

Top 5 Visual Field Analyzers in 2025: Reviews & Comparisons

1. Virtual Field

Virtual Field stands apart in flexibility, testing options, software, and integration, and most importantly, patient experience. This option is based on a portable, lightweight VR headset, so you don’t need a dedicated space, and you can test patients almost anywhere. Because its interface is intuitive, staff can learn how to use it within minutes. The test itself is faster than traditional methods, making it ideal for high-volume clinics or off-site testing. It’s also one of the few visual field machines with true cloud-native reporting and advanced analytics built in.

In 2018, an ophthalmologist and an engineer developed Virtual Field, motivated by a desire to create a more comfortable, inclusive, and accessible visual field testing experience. This established the category of virtual visual field testing. It’s already one of the most widely-adopted headsets on the market today with more than three million exams completed across thousands of practices.

Key Features

• Headset-based, wireless, and fully portable visual field device that fits into any practice setting
• Test suite currently includes 14 exams for over 400 diagnoses (and counting)
• Eye tracking and AI-enhanced test algorithms achieve faster, more accurate results
• Seamlessly integrates with all major EHR/EMR platforms
• Flexible workflow that’s perfect for multi-location, rural, and small-footprint practices
• Simple subscription model with no upfront cost or per-test fees

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2. Zeiss Humphrey

For most eye care professionals, visual field testing is synonymous with the Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer. It’s long been the go-to, and many consider it the gold standard in perimetry. But it’s also the most expensive option by a wide margin. This device requires its own dedicated, darkened room, and its bulky footprint can make it challenging to operate in small practices or those serving patients with physical disabilities.

Pros and Cons

• Longstanding leader in perimetry with decades of data validation
• Offers nearly all visual field exams, but not all specialty tests
• Strong integration with Zeiss platforms and EMRs
• Up to $40,000 upfront cost, plus costly maintenance
• Slower testing times compared to newer options
• Patients may feel fatigued or uncomfortable with this setup

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3. Olleyes VisuALL

Olleyes VisuALL is a portable option with a sleek design and modern interface. This VR-based headset covers many of the basics and is a solid option for multi-specialty eye care professionals who need a battery of quick tests. The interface and design prioritizes pediatric testing, making it less comprehensive for clinics that treat a wide demographic of patients. Practices with technical support staff could benefit from this option, since it may require more IT involvement than others, and it’s less established in high-volume clinical settings.

Pros and Cons

• Touchless operation and AI-guided testing experience
• VR-based headset with multiple protocols, but mixed priorities
• Integrates with cloud storage and EMRs
• Software can feel less mature than competitors
• Upfront cost plus subscription model adds recurring costs

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4. Inspire by Radius XR

Inspire by Radius XR is built for eye care professionals looking for an efficient, all-in-one diagnostic tool. This headset, which looks a bit like full-coverage sunglasses, is portable and familiar for patients. However, this design may not offer the right test coverage for every practice. Glaucoma specialists tend to find this VR headset useful, but Inspire by Radius XR includes some exams that might not apply to other specialties.  

Pros and Cons

• Multifunctional headset with tests for visual field, acuity, and glaucoma-specific exams
• Modular hardware design and touchscreen control for ease of use
• Patient-friendly and approachable modern design
• Workflow can be more complex than others
• Requires a significant upfront cost plus subscription

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5. Haag-Streit Octopus

Practices that use traditional perimetry but don’t use a Humphrey tend to gravitate toward the Octopus. This visual field machine has many different subspecialty devices to choose from, plus a long history of constant improvements. Still, it’s a tabletop perimeter that requires plenty of space, controlled lighting, and may not be comfortable for patients.

Pros and Cons

• Offers advanced testing strategies for specialty practices
• High level of precision for complex cases
• Integration with EHR systems
• Traditional workflow and non-portable
• Less intuitive interface compared to newer systems
• Less expensive than other tabletop perimeters, but more expensive than many headsets

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6. Virtual Vision

Virtual Vision is another headset-based testing option that offers a selection of standard optometry exams. This option prioritizes professional research and clinical applications, but may not prioritize patient experience or accessibility. Pricing is more affordable than most tabletop perimeters, but the hardware plus subscription model may be cost-prohibitive to practices on a tight budget.

Pros and Cons

• Portable, turnkey headset for flexible testing
• Automated eye-tracking and audio guidance
• Cloud storage compatible with many standard EMRs
• Initial cost plus ongoing plan required
• Greater focus on professional research than patient experience

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9 Must-Haves When Choosing a Visual Field Exam Solution

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