We still do not know enough about the aetiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia, nor are the therapeutic methods generated by our definition of it satisfactory. Therefore, innovative approaches to treating schizophrenic patients, even if they only promise some partial progress, warrant consideration. The purpose of the pilot project ‘Soteria Berne’ is to assess the effectiveness of an open residential programme which has been providing mainly psychotherapy, sociotherapy, and milieu therapy instead of standard pharmacotherapy to about 60 acute schizophrenic patients for more than six years.
The introduction of Goldmann perimetry standardized measuring conditions as much as possible. In spite of this, it had been possible for the perimetrist to influence the results of perimeter measurements. The introduction of computer-controlled perimetry, however, has largely eliminated the influence of the investigator on perimetry results. Nevertheless, the interpretation of a perimetric result in the everyday clinical situation is still extensively subjectively coloured and is liable to vary, depending on the doctor carrying it out. The OCTOPUS Programm G1 was introduced a few years ago and used above all for glaucoma. This program greatly simplified visual field assessement thanks to its visual field indices. The indices make it possible to compare visual field results with those of a normal population. The present introduction of the OCTOSMART program represents a further step forward. This program analyses measured visual fields with the aid of standardized, statistical criteria based on a large, normal value study. This analysis standardizes and thereby simplifies the interpretation of visual field results. This study compares the outcome of the OCTOSMART program with visual field interpretations by eye doctors.
A large pool of visual field data measured with the JO program on the Octopus automated perimeter was used to compare the outcomes of simulated selective retests to those of global retests. Compared to global retesting, with selective retesting an increase in the mean sensitivity and a decrease in the number of pathological test locations were found on the average. We conclude that global retests should be preferred to selective ones so that the perimetric results are not falsified.
From 354 visual fields of 137 normal subjects, various components of variance were calculated separately for each test location of the Octopus automated-perimetry program J0. The method of component analysis of variance was used. The following components were analyzed: interindividual variation (variation of visual-field measurements in different subjects), long-term fluctuation (variation of different visual-field measurements in the same subject), differences between the right and left eyes and fluctuation within one visual field test in one subject, i.e., short-term fluctuation. The results show increased variations at the center relative to the paracentral area and a slight increase with eccentricity.
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