Visual fields ||| Flashcards
what are the instructions to give your patient before a visual field test ?
. this test will test all the areas you can see with each eye
. cover one eye
. i want you to always look straight ahead at the fixation light in the centre (show them )
. other lights will now flash in different places. Every time you see a light press your button (show them )
. you will not see all the lights
. the most important thing to remember is to always keep watching the fixation light in the centre
how to improve accuracy with your patient?
. ensure they are comfortable
- neck/head position
- coat on or off
. explain how long it will take
-(XX no. of minutes)
. patient can pause the test on a Humphrey
what are visual field defects ?
- visual field defect is defined as a departure from the topography of the hill of vision from the normal limits
why is it important to accurately describe the type of visual field defect ?
- helps determine the type of pathology
- helps to monitor the condition
what is a localised defect ?
- could also be called a scotoma
- small area of localised visual field loss
what is a depression or diffuse visual field loss ?
- a generalised reduction in the height of the hill of vision
what is the contraction of the visual field ?
. the entire visual field is constructed
. could also be referred to as constriction of the visual field
what is absolute scotoma ?
- the scotoma is absolute when the patient can see absolutely nothing inside this scotoma
what is relative scotoma?
- the patient has a loss of visual field but can see something in this area of loss
- they can’t see what the average normal person of that age can see
what is a scotoma with steep margin ?
- px can see normal for their age until they suddenly cannot see
what is a scotoma with sloping margin ?
- px can see normal for their age, then they can see a little less normal for their age until they can’t see anything
what is hemianopia ?
- half visual defect
what is an altitudinal hemianopia ?
- defect will be either on the superior half of the visual field or the inferior half of the visual field
what is hemianopic defect with macula sparing ?
- the macula will be spared
what does it mean when hemianopic defect has a macula splitting?
- the hemianopia will split macula in half
what is quadrantanopia ?
- quadrant visual field defect
how do we measure central visual field ?
- by measuring the central 30 degrees
what is central scotoma ?
- scotoma that encompasses the fixation point ( fovea)
what is pathology that causes a central scotoma ?
- AMD
what is pericentral scotoma ?
- px will have visual field defect that surrounds the fovea , surrounds the fixation point
what is paracentral scotoma?
- visual field defect that is adjacent to the fovea
- adjacent to fixation point
what is centrocecal scotoma?
- visual defect that extends from fixation point in centre all the way to blind spot
what is baring of the blind spot?
- visual field defect that revealed the blind spot
what nasal step ?
- defect in nasal visual field
- nasal step will never cross the horizontal line
- where the blind spot is temporal and so the nasal will be on the opposite side
what is arcuate scotoma?
- scotoma that looks like an arc
what is ring scotoma?
- scotoma that looks like a ring
- can say it is a constriction or contraction of the visual field
what is homonymous hemianopia?
- the same side / half visual field defect (for e.g heminaopia on the right side of the right eye and the right side of the left eye)
- the visual field defect is on the same side on both eyes