title: Assessment of parafoveal function in maculopathy: a comparison between the Macular Mapping Test and kinetic Manual Perimetry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parafoveal function is crucial for patients with maculopathies, because they have to use the parafoveal retina for reading after foveal vision loss. Manual perimetry is a reliable but lengthy method for assessing macular function. The Macular Mapping Test (MMTest) was therefore designed as a quick and easy test. In this study both methods were compared in patients with central scotoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 50 patients with maculopathy (22 Stargardt's, 20 age-related, 5 diabetic, 3 other macular dystrophies), 30 degrees Tuebingen Manual Perimetry was performed kinetically. The MMTest assesses local responses to brief displays of letters in the central visual field (8 degrees radius) on a computer screen. A "wagon-wheel" pattern is used to stabilize gaze in the center. Comparison of the methods was based on the correspondence of field defects in each sector.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall correspondence was 87.5%. The results could be divided into three groups, depending on fixation behavior: group 1 ( n=27): central fixation in both methods, median correspondence 87.5%, best in Stargardt's disease (95.3%), lowest in diabetic maculopathy (71.8%); group 2 ( n=21): eccentric fixation in both methods (84.3%); group 3 ( n=2): eccentric in TMP, central in MMTest (65.6% and 81.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Provided that the fixation locus is known, the MMTest is a quick and easy screening method, which shows a high correspondence with the results of manual perimetry.
authors: Department of Pathophysiology of Vision and Neuro-Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital Tübingen, Schleichstrasse 12-16, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. setrauze@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Trauzettel-Klosinski
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Biermann
authors: Gesa
authors: G
authors: Hahn
authors: Malte
authors: M
authors: Weismann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012607:Scotoma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D058609:Visual Field Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*