Quantification of visual fields for statistical analysis.

The importance of visual fields in the study of ocular vascular disorders prompted the development of a method to convert visual fields plotted on a Goldmann perimeter into a digital form so that the data could be analyzed and stored by a computer. An instrument called a scotometer was designed to measure the visual fields and the various scotomata, and a data coding form was developed to facilitate the entry of the data into the computer. After extensive testing, this method is now being used in several clinical trials. Statistics have been computed that support the reliability of the coding process.