Your Visual Field

What is it?
Your visual field is how wide of an area your eye can see when you can focus on a central point. Visual fields can detect blind spots in your vision and locate where they are. A blind spot’s size and shape can show how eye disease is affecting your vision.

Visual field tests are NOT invasive – you don’t have to prepare, and they’re typically only performed annually.

A virtual visual field is a way of testing your vision using a head-mounted display (like a VR headset) instead of a traditional, bulky machine. No dark room or big table needed – you do it right in the exam room.

Why are they important?
Visual field testing is incredibly important for many conditions – most notably, glaucoma.

The visual field test is currently the only way the doctor can measure if any vision loss has occurred over time. Some people with glaucoma don’t notice any problems with their vision, but the visual field test shows a loss of peripheral vision.

The visual field test can be challenging for anyone, but the information obtained is invaluable in creating an effective plan of care.

What you can do for reliable results:
If you’re getting visual field testing today, don’t stress. The visual field is designed to minimize human error and ensure consistent patient guidance, which helps reduce variability between tests. So, don’t worry if you mis-click.