Does rate of stimulus presentation affect measured visual field extent in infants and toddlers?

• Published in: Optometry and vision science Vol. 76; no. 4; pp. 234 - 240
• Main Authors: MOHAN, K. M, DOBSON, V, HARVEY, E. M, DELANEY, S. M, LEBER, N. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01.04.1999
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aging - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Diseases; Female; Humans; Infant; Investigative techniques of ocular function and vision; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Optical testing; Patient treatment; Photic Stimulation; Physiology; Vision, Binocular - physiology; Visual Field Tests - methods; Visual Fields - physiology; Human; Eye; Exploration; Perimetry; Child; Visual field
• ISSN: 1040-5488; 1538-9235
• DOI: 10.1097/00006324-199904000-00027

To evaluate the effect of stimulus presentation rate on the measurement of visual field extent in infants and toddlers. Visual field extent was measured for 300 children (N = 60 at 3.5, 7, 11, 17, and 30 months) and 24 adults using hybrid static-kinetic perimetry. Flickering light-emitting diode (LED) stimuli were illuminated sequentially, peripherally to centrally at 10.2 degrees intervals, along 4 diagonal meridia at 2 stimulus presentation rates: 2 s/stimulus (equivalent to 5 degrees/s) and 3 s/stimulus (equivalent to 3 degrees/s). Rate of presentation was a between-subjects variable. No effect of stimulus presentation rate was found for adults. The faster rate of stimulus presentation yielded smaller measured visual field extent for children between the ages of 7 and 30 months. The apparent difference seen with 3.5-month-olds did not reach significance. Faster rates of stimulus presentation may result in underestimation of visual field extent in children between the ages of 7 and 30 months.