Acceptance of Novel Perimetry Methods in Germany: Virtual Reality Perimetry and Tablet-based Perimetry in Glaucoma Patients.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the acceptance of innovative perimetry methods such as virtual reality perimetry (VRP) and tablet-based perimetry (TBP) in comparison to conventional hemisphere perimetry (HP) in glaucoma patients for the first time in Germany.

Patients and methods: We examined 204 glaucoma patients using the 30 - 2 TOP algorithm (Octopus, Haag-Streit) followed by one of the two new methods: Group 1 (VRP; n = 101) and Group 2 (TBP using the Melbourne Rapid Fields Glaucoma App; n = 103). Subsequently, patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire on their experience with the new examination compared to the conventional examination.

Results: More than three-quarters of patients at 77% in Group 1 (VR) and 89.9% of patients in Group 2 (TBP) found the respective new examination method "easier" or "much easier" than the conventional HP. An overwhelming majority of patients in Group 1 and Group 2 found the new method more comfortable at 86% and 90.9%, respectively. Examination durations were: 2.67 ± 0.98 min for HP, 6.26 ± 1.88 min for VR perimetry, and 4 ± 0.71 min for the tablet method; figures given as means ± standard deviation. Just over half the patients at 51% found HP and VR headset to be similar for duration with 54% preferring the tablet over conventional hemisphere perimetry. By far the most patients in Groups 1 and 2 at 80% and 81.8%, respectively, reported willingness to use the new perimetry method regularly in future follow-up examinations.

Conclusion: Most glaucoma patients surveyed consistently responded favourably to VR headset and tablet-based perimetry, preferring these examinations to conventional hemispherical perimetry.