Interexaminer and intraexaminer reliability of the microperimeter MP-1.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the interexaminer and intraexaminer reliability of macular microperimetry using the microperimeter MP-1. METHODS PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen healthy volunteers younger than 40 years of age (Group 1), 15 healthy subjects over 60 years (Group 2), and five patients with age-related macular degeneration (Group 3).


METHODS
Two examiners (E1 and E2) measured, in random order, interexaminer (E2-E1a) reliability. Another examination was undergone by one of the examiners a week later to evaluate the intraexaminer (E1b-E1a) reliability.


METHODS
Macular sensitivity (mean threshold (decibel)) and stability of fixation were determined using MP1 microperimetry. Agreement was analysed by means of Bland-Altman plots and by the determination of the intraclass correlation coefficient.ResultsThe interexaminer (E2-E1a) and the intraexaminer (E1b-E1a) differences in the mean threshold values were not statistically significant (P=0.850, 95% confidence Interval (CI)=-0.265 to 0.319; P=0.246, 95% CI=-0.099 to 0.375, respectively). Limits of agreement and intraclass correlation coefficients also showed good agreement in each group.


CONCLUSIONS
A good reliability was found for the mean threshold values in all the three groups, indicating examiner-independent measurements.
Weingessel
B
B
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Sacu
S
S
Vécsei-Marlovits
P V
PV
Weingessel
A
A
Richter-Mueksch
S
S
Schmidt-Erfurth
U
U
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D058609:Visual Field Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*