The usefulness of the Noise-Field Test as a screening method for visual field defects

In 1990, we reported the usefulness of the noise-field spontaneously generated on a home television screen for the subjective perception of visual field defects (VFD) in glaucoma patients (Noise-Field Test: NFT). Recently, the sensitivity and specificity of the NFT for testing 555 eyes of primary open angle glaucoma patients and 300 eyes of subjects with normal visual field were 89.2% and 93.7%, respectively. We also performed a comparative study among the NFT and Tübingen electric campimetry (TEC) and oculokinetic perimetry (OKP), and also evaluated the efficiency of the NFT using participants examined in general health check-up systems. In the comparative study testing 136 eyes of glaucoma patients who had never perceived their VFD, and 114 eyes of subjects with normal visual field, the sensitivity of the NFT, TEC (fine), TEC (coarse), and OKP was 85.3%, 75.0%, 71.3% or 59.5%, respectively. The specificity was 88.6%, 78.9%, 82.5% or 95.6%, respectively. In the study made in the general health check-up system, the NFT was carried out on 935 participants (1870 eyes). After the NFT, all participants received an ophthalmological examination. Those participants whose fundus was suspected to have VFD as well as participants who reported abnormalities of the noise-field were examined by static perimetry. One hundred and sixty-two eyes perceived abnormalities of the noise-field; 58 eyes were judged as having VFD by an ophthalmologist and the defects were confirmed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)