The proposed research intends to design and build an instrument of accurately measure centrally located pathological areas of non-vision, or central scotomas, within the 30 to 60 degrees field of vision. The new device is intended to serve as a supplement to commercially available automatic perimeters, which are known to be inaccurate when retinal defects are confined to the central field of vision. The device used in a novel technique that enables a patient that suffers from a central defect to maintain central fixation, thereby producing measurements of their central and paracentral visual field with unprecedented accuracy. It is anticipated that the device will be able to gather data on patients even when the retinal defect lies in the area required to fixate. The device will consist of both hardware and software, ant the test administered to the patient will be similar to available automatic perimeter, which include computerized algorithms resulting in a rapid test, storage and analysis of data, and a variety of test options. Initial validation of the device will be done through testing a select group of patients with central defects. The measurement results from these patients will be compared with other types of visual field devices used commonly today. It is the intent that the Campimeter be made available to the practitioner, by keeping the cost of the commercial unit inline with comparable ophthalmic instruments.
Once complete and developed, the device will be well suited for a clinic or private practice. The inability to measure and map central scotomas has been a long-standing problem with clinicians. Now more than ever, with the aging population and the subsequent increase in macular degeneration, the wide variety of refractive procedures, as well as numerous retinal pathologies, there is a consistent need for the accurate mapping of central scotomas. The ability to measure and map, track changes, and quantify treatment modalities, will be monumental in diagnosing, following and managing macular and retinal diseases. The anticipated moderate cost of the complete instrument will make it available to a wide variety of clinicians, and will not be limited to a research environment. If properly designed, engineered, and tested, the ultimate hope is for wide spread use and early detection and management of central field defects.
