title: Psychomotor vigilance and visual field test performance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visual field test is an invaluable tool to evaluate the detection and progression of glaucoma. On the other hand, as a subjective test, reliable results depend on patients' optimum performance including vigilance during the test. The purpose of this study was to understand patient's attitude and preferences about the visual field test taking, and in addition to assess the relationship between the reliability indices of visual field testing (VFT) and the Walter Reed Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional, non-interventional study, VFT reliability indices were recorded for all 140 patients. In the 46 patients who completed the PVT, average reaction time and minimum reaction times were recorded. All 140 patients completed a survey about their VFT experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the survey results, most subjects found VFT to be difficult. Subjects who rated their VFT performance excellent/good had similar VFT reliability rates compared to the ones with fair/poor self-assessments. The average reaction time (RT) was 0.6 seconds (0.3-1.9 seconds). Higher average RT was associated with increased age and less formal education (p < 0.001 and 0.03, respectively). There was a marginally significant correlation between average RT and the VFT "reliability" status (p = 0.045).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While VFT is the least favorable part of the work-up for glaucoma patients, their self-assessment about VFT performance did not correlate with current VF reliability indicators. Although reliability of the VFT was not strongly affected by slower reaction times when tested by the PVT, the effect of psychomotor reaction time on other aspects of test outcomes is unknown and warrants further investigation.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Jones Eye Institute , Little Rock, Arkansas , USA and.
authors: Inci I
authors: II
authors: Dersu
authors: Tayyeba K
authors: TK
authors: Ali
authors: Horace J
authors: HJ
authors: Spencer
authors: Sarah M
authors: SM
authors: Covey
authors: Megan S
authors: MS
authors: Evans
authors: Richard A
authors: RA
authors: Harper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Reliability; Self-Assesment of performance; Walter Reed Palm-Held Psychomotor Vigilance Test; survey; visual field test