How are visual fields measured in a baby or young child?
Testing infants and young children for visual field defects has traditionally been very difficult to do. The Visual Function Service at Children’s Hospital is one of the only places in the country where specialized tests created specifically for this young age group are available. These methods are used in accordance with a child’s age, developmental status and the known level of visual impairment. They were developed in research studies here at Children’s that involved infants and young children both with and without eye disorders and in patients with developmental disabilities. All forms of testing for visual field loss measure a person’s response to stimuli presented at various locations in side vision. In adults, visual fields are tested using a hemispheric perimeter. The adult sits before a concave dome and stares at a central target within the dome. A small light is presented a various peripheral locations on the surface of the dome and the adult indicates when the light is detec
