Sources of variance in ocular microtremor

This study presents a preliminary investigation of the sources of variance in the measurement of ocular microtremor frequency in a normal population. When the results from both experienced and relatively inexperienced operators are pooled, factors that contribute significantly to the total variance include the measurement procedure (p < 0.001), day-to-day variations within subjects (p < 0.001), and inter-subject differences (p < 0.01). Operator experience plays a role in determining the measurement precision: the intra-subject coefficient of variation is about 5% for a very experienced operator, and about 14% for a relatively inexperienced operator.