Scanning laser entoptic perimetry for the screening of macular and peripheral retinal disease

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of scanning laser entoptic perimetry as a noninvasive platform for screening for retinal damage in visually asymptomatic patients within the central 120°(diameter) of vision. Design: A masked study comparing entoptic perimetry with fundus photographs. Setting: The Shiley Eye Center and the AIDS Ocular Research Unit at the University of California, San Diego. Patients: Fifty-eight patients recruited during ophthalmologic visits for treatment or follow-up of ocular disease. Measurements: For each testing session, we compared the presence of a disturbance in the entoptic stimulus with the presence of retinal disease within the central 120°of vision, centered on the fovea. Results: Scanning laser entoptic perimetry has a sensitivity and specificity of more than 90%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 89% for screening retinal lesions within the central 120°diameter of vision. Conclusion: Scanning laser entoptic perimetry may be an effective and inexpensive screening test for diagnosing retinal disease in hospitals and community clinics.