Detection of visual field defects by opticians - with Damato Multifixation Campimetry Online

To study Damato Multifixation Campimetry Online (DMCO), an inexpensive online visual field test, used for screening at optician shops in Denmark.

This was an evaluation of a diagnostic test and customers were included if minimum 50 years old, with a visual acuity of minimum 0.5 and with less myopia than 6 D. Standard equipment was a computer, a wireless mouse and a computer monitor. We used the 'DMCO STANDARD 4,5' algorithm for screening. DMCO results were electronically transmitted to the authors. Customers with a positive DMCO test received an eye examination including the reference standard Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer 30-2 SITA Fast test. A subset of control participants with a negative DMCO test received the same examination in order to estimate the number of false and true negatives. DMCO specificity and sensitivity were estimated according to five reference standards with 95% confidence intervals.

The population comprised 627 individuals, 381 women and 246 men, from 13 optician shops. Mean age was 62 years (SD 7.4). DMCO was positive in 32 individuals and 27 individuals were classified as 'true positives' with diagnoses such as glaucoma, cataract and neurological visual field defects. Of the 595 individuals with a negative DMCO test, 110 were examined and nine individuals were classified as 'false negatives' according to diagnoses. Depending on reference the specificity was 97-99% and sensitivity was 14-69%.

Screening with DMCO demonstrated high specificity, whereas sensitivity was unsatisfactory. Future studies with enough power to estimate the true sensitivity is needed.