Eye Care Support

Visual Field Examinations

A visual field examination measures how well you can see in all directions—both centrally and to the sides (peripheral vision).

While reading an eye chart checks your central vision, a visual field test assesses the sensitivity of your entire visual system across different positions.

Reduced peripheral vision can affect daily activities such as driving, where awareness of traffic in neighbouring lanes is essential. This is why it’s important to book in for an examination if you haven’t had your eyes checked in a while.

Peripheral vision also plays a role in reading. For example, poor vision on the right side can make it difficult to see the next word in a line and poor vision on the left side can make it hard to find the start of the next line.

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Peripheral vision is important because it helps you to:

Stay safe

By detecting movement and potential hazards

Move with confidence

By navigating safely and maintain balance

Maintain awareness

By seeing objects “out of the corner of your eye”

Play better

By locating other players or a ball in sport

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Because different conditions affect different parts of the visual system, visual field testing is a valuable tool for detecting and diagnosing many eye and neurological conditions.

FAQs

Visual field loss can occur when any part of the visual pathway is damaged.

Causes include:

  • Retinal diseases
  • Glaucoma (damage to the optic nerve)
  • Stroke
  • Brain injuries affecting visual processing

The most common method is automated perimetry, using a computerised instrument called an automated perimeter.

During the test:

  • You sit facing a concave bowl with your head supported
  • One eye is tested at a time (the other is covered)
  • You look at a central target
  • Small lights flash in different areas of the bowl
  • You press a button whenever you see a light
  • The computer varies the brightness of the lights and records your responses, creating a map of your visual sensitivity.
  • Keep looking at the central target so the test measures the correct areas
  • Don’t worry if you miss some lights—even people with normal vision do not see all of them
  • Press the button whenever you think you see a light, even if you’re unsure
  • Blink normally to avoid dry eyes; the best time to blink is just after pressing the button

Visual field testing is recognised as an important part of eye-health assessment, and Medicare provides a rebate for eligible examinations.