Computer game is successful as visual-field assessor

An investigation published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology has revealed it is possible to create a computer game to measure visual fields in children.

Dr Tariq M. Aslam et al., National Institute for Health Research, Manchester Royal eye Hospital, University of Manchester, UK, conducted 25 field tests in 25 eyes of 19 children aged 4–14 years. The computer game was displayed on a monitor and consisted of an interactive model-castle structure.

Of the children studied, 23 completed the experiment and 2 children did not complete the test due to malfunctioning computer software/hardware. The mean time of completion was 4.5 minutes and the only failures were two 4-year olds who completed the game with a reduced response.

All visual fields were measured for the five eyes with expected glaucoma loss. The fields were presented as abnormal and matched the correct medical condition.