Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

Testing the visual field using a stationary location to determine sensitivity threshold is known as what?

1. Static perimetry

2. Kinetic perimetry

3. Confrontation visual field

4. Visual field mapping

The correct answer is: Static perimetry

The correct term for testing the visual field using a stationary location to determine sensitivity thresholds is static perimetry. This method involves presenting light stimuli at fixed points in the visual field while the patient indicates whether they can perceive the light. The sensitivity threshold is then measured at these points, providing a detailed map of the visual field. Static perimetry is particularly effective in detecting early visual field loss that may occur in various ocular conditions, including glaucoma and retinal diseases. By focusing on sensitivity at fixed locations, it helps to establish a baseline for further comparison in visual field examinations. Understanding static perimetry is essential for evaluating a patient's overall visual function and can guide clinical decisions regarding treatment and monitoring of visual field defects. This contrasts with kinetic perimetry, which assesses the visual field by moving stimuli from the periphery toward the center, and confrontation visual field testing, which is a more rudimentary and qualitative method. Visual field mapping is a broader term that encompasses both methods but does not specifically refer to the stationary approach used in static perimetry.