Clinical evaluation of the Scoperimeter, an experimental automatic perimeter.

The Scoperimeter is an experimental automatic campimeter based on an oscilloscope connected with a microcomputer and a printer-plotter. The instrument has 60 stimuli in the 25 degrees visual field and uses a suprathreshold gradient-adapted threshold related strategy (1). The report describes the results of a comparative examination of the threshold related gradient-adapted suprathreshold detection and limited assessment programme in 20 eyes with normal visual fields, 24 eyes of patients with glaucomatous defects and 10 eyes of patients with (para) central defects due to maculopathies. The Scoperimeter detected all larger defects. The Scoperimeter detected 60% of very early glaucomatous defects. The remaining 40% was detected by high resolution (1 degree) manual meridional static perimetry. The configuration of defects was demonstrated satisfactorily only for homogeneous defects of considerable size. The strategy is quite satisfactory for the detection of glaucomatous defects provided the resolution is increased and the peripheral field can be examined. A high resolution threshold strategy serving as a data base for follow-up examination is under investigation. The Scoperimeter's low resolution grid and suprathreshold strategy are not suitable for the detection and assessment of small relative (para) central defects.