Visual Field Test

A visual field test is one of the most common vision screens, providing a quick, effective way to diagnose eye conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration. At Vistasite Eye Care of Kings Plaza Mall in the Mill Basin neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, board-certified optometrists Gary Eppel, OD, and Dmitri Bondarenko, OD, regularly use visual field testing to diagnose and monitor various eye problems. Call the Vistasite Eye Care of Kings Plaza Mall office today to schedule a visual field test or book your appointment online.

What does a visual field test measure?

A visual field test is a quick outpatient procedure that measures two things:

Field of vision

First, the screen assesses how far in each direction (up, down, left, and right) your eye sees when looking straight ahead.

Vision sensitivity

Second, it evaluates the sensitivity of your vision in each of the previously mentioned directions. For example, difficulty seeing out of the sides of your eyes may indicate a problem with your peripheral vision.

When is a visual field test performed?

The Vistasite Eye Care of Kings Plaza Mall team includes visual field testing in all routine eye exams. That’s because it’s one of the easiest ways to identify eye diseases known to damage vision. Because many of these diseases develop slowly and present few symptoms, identifying them early in their development is crucial.

Visual field testing also lets your provider assess the health of your eyes’ nervous system, including your retinas and optical nerves. Problems with either of these components increase your risk of visual field issues.

What does a visual field test involve?

The Vistasite Eye Care of Kings Plaza Mall offers two types of visual field testing, including:

Amsler grid test

During this test, you see a chart featuring straight lines forming perfect squares. You stare at a dot in the middle and tell your provider if there are any areas where the lines appear blurry, wavy, or broken. 

Confrontation visual field test

During this test, your provider sits down in a chair three or four feet in front of you and holds their arms straight out to the sides. You look straight ahead, and your provider moves their arms inward and toward you one at a time. As soon as you see your provider’s hand, you let them know.

The Amsler grid test assesses your central vision, while the confrontation test assesses your peripheral vision.

What eye problems does a visual field test diagnose?

The Vistasite Eye Care of Kings Plaza Mall team uses visual field testing to diagnose various eye problems, including:

• Glaucoma
• Stroke
• Macular degeneration
• Blind spot (scotoma)

Visual field testing is also used to monitor the progression of certain diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and Grave’s disease, which causes your thyroid to overproduce hormones, ultimately affecting vision. 

Call Vistasite Eye Care of Kings Plaza Mall today to schedule a visual field test or book your appointment online.