Usefulness of a simplified self-checking tool (Quattro Checker®) for visual field defects in glaucoma patients

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Devices
• Diagnostic Tools

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Early detection of glaucomatous visual field (VF) abnormalities is crucial for timely intervention.
• Current screening methods may have limitations in accessibility and patient engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the iPad Quattro Checker® (iPad QC®) as a novel tablet-based screening tool for glaucomatous VF abnormalities.
• To compare the diagnostic performance of the iPad QC® against established screening methods.

Main Methods:

• The iPad QC®, paper-based Quattro Checker® (paper QC®), and CLOCK CHART® were evaluated in glaucoma patients (n=64) and normal participants (n=38).
• Visual field abnormalities were assessed relative to Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) quadrants.
• Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated to determine diagnostic accuracy.

Main Results:

• The iPad QC® achieved a high overall AUC of 0.97, comparable to paper QC® (0.94) and CLOCK CHART® (0.96).
• In early glaucoma, the iPad QC® demonstrated 80.2% sensitivity with an AUC of 0.90.
• Over 50% of patients previously unaware of their VF deficits recognized them using the iPad QC®.
• Testing was brief, self-administered, and performed under normal lighting conditions.

Conclusions:

• The iPad QC® exhibits high sensitivity for detecting glaucomatous visual field abnormalities, including early-stage disease.
• Its self-administered nature on widely available tablets and ability to increase patient awareness make it a practical screening tool.
• The iPad QC® shows promise as an accessible and effective method for glaucoma screening.