Learning effect and repeatability of automated kinetic perimetry in healthy participants

To evaluate the learning effect and repeatability of automated kinetic perimetry in inexperienced and experienced healthy young participants.

Forty-six eyes of 46 healthy participants (23 eyes of 23 participants in the inexperienced group and 23 eyes of 23 participants in the experienced group; mean age, 25.9 years) were enrolled in this prospective study. Automated kinetic perimetry was performed using the Octopus 900 perimeter with Goldmann stimuli III4e, I4e, I3e, I2e and I1e. The participants underwent testing at 14 predetermined meridians for each stimulus with a stimulus velocity of 3°/s. The learning effect was evaluated for kinetic sensitivity and test duration using three measurements. Repeatability was evaluated by calculating the mean square (MS) and coefficient of variance (CoV) of the kinetic sensitivity between the second and third measurements.

A learning effect was seen only in the inexperienced group between the first and second measurements. The kinetic sensitivity for III4e and I4e increased by 1.5° (p < 0.01) and 1.1° (p = 0.02), respectively, and the test duration decreased to 20.1 seconds (p = 0.02). There was no demonstrated learning effect in the inexperienced and experienced groups between the second and third measurements. Regarding the repeatability in the inexperienced and experienced groups, the MS and CoV values of the kinetic sensitivity for I3e, I2e and I1e increased by a median of 1.2-2.7° (p < 0.01) and 1.6-13.6% (p < 0.01), respectively, compared with those of III4e and I4e.

The results of the first measurement in the inexperienced participants require careful evaluation, especially for III4e and I4e measured in the peripheral areas. However, because III4e and I4e both showed good repeatability in inexperienced and experienced participants, automated kinetic perimetry may be suitable for measuring the peripheral area using higher stimulus intensities such as III4e and I4e.