how to assess human visual function Flashcards
what is visual function ?
- seeing is a complex task and it can be helpful to break it down conceptually into a series of individual modules or function
what are some the most obvious visual function?
. perceiving fine spatial detail . perceiving differences in luminance . perceiving differences in wave length of light . perceiving information in the periphery . adjusting to bright light . adjusting to low light . depth perception . motion perception
how is perceiving spatial detail assessed and what is associated visual impairment ?
- assessed in terms of visual acuity
- associated visual impairment is blurred vision
how is perceiving differences in luminance assessed and what is associated visual impairment ?
- assessed in terms of contrast sensitivity
- associated visual impairment is hazy/dim vision
how is perceiving differences in wave length assessed and what is associated visual impairment ?
- assessed in terms of colour vision
- associated visual impairment is colour blindness
how is perceiving information in the periphery assessed and what is associated visual impairment ?
- assessed in terms of visual fields
- associated visual impairment is loss of peripheral vision
how is adjusting to bright light assessed and what is associated visual impairment ?
- assessed in terms of light adaptation
- associated visual impairment is glare or photophobia
how is adjusting to low light assessed and what is associated visual impairment ?
- assessed in terms of dark adaptation
- associated visual impairment is night blindness
how is depth perception assessed and what is associated visual impairment?
- assessed in terms of stereopsis
- associated visual impairment is amblyopia
how is motion perception assessed and what is associated visual impairment ?
- flicker fusion rate
- associated visual impairment is motion blindness
how are different eye diseases associated with particular set of visual functions ?
- different eye diseases are often associated with particular set of visual functions
- e.g. AMD - acuity and contrast
Glaucoma - field - though no function is unique to a single disease and often multiple different functions are disrupted
what can each function be divided into ?
- each function can be subdivided into many sub functions
- e.g. acuity is sub divided into resolution acuity and recognition acuity
how to measure visual acuity ?
1- letter charts
. Snellen chart
. LogMAR chart ( logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution )
. various electronic chart
2- symbol chart
. tumbling E’s or Landolt C’s
. HOTV - optional plate for child to hold and point to
. various optotype charts (e.g. Lea symbols; auckland optotypes; kay pictures; cardiff acuity charts )
3-acuity cards
. preferential looking cards; grating cards
. teller cards, keeler cards, lea paddles ( clinician judges if infant saw the grating )
4-EEG ( checker boards)
. electrodes record cortical activity in response to a dynamic ( phase-reversing) stimulus
how to measure contrast sensitivity ?
- letter charts
e.g. Pelli-Robson ( letters get dimmer ) - grating detection charts
e.g. Vistech contrast test - pen-and- paper tests
e.g. spot checks
mark each circle with an X - modified ‘acuity’ cards
e.g. ohio contrast cards
-clinician judges if infant saw the grating
how to measure colour vision ?
- Ishihara plates - chromatic difference between colour and background
- Farnsworth-munsell 100 hue test
- computerised tests
. Cambridge colour test
. universal colour discrimination test
. these test are not independent of acuity , so you don’t know if px really doesn’t have colour vision