Programs SARGON and DELTA: Two new principles for the automated analysis of the visual field

Abstract

The new Octopus programs SARGON and DELTA are described. The SARGON program makes possible the arbitrary distribution of a maximum number of 66 test locations with a resolution of up to 0.2 degrees across the 60 degrees visual field. Eighty user-defined self-created programs can be permanently stored and recalled later at will from the program diskette.. The program DELTA evaluates perimetric examination results with the aid of a series of statistical tests and investigates whether the data base is sufficient to assume a significant deviation, or alternatively, whether a visual field defect can be explained simply by spontaneous fluctuations or if a true pathologic defect should be assumed at a particular level of significance. Furthermore, the program tests changes in the visual field as a function of time for their statistical significance.

Detection and measurement of clinically meaningful visual field progression in clinical trials for glaucoma

“…Event analyses can be relatively simple, and can look for statistically significant differences between one examination and another, such as used within the DELTA program of the Octopus perimeter (Fankhauser and Jenni, 1981). This particular method employs paired t-tests to determine whether significant differences are present between one test result and another.…”

Possible Correlations of Ocular Blood Flow Parameters with Intraocular Pressure and Visual-Field Alterations in Glaucoma: A Study by Means of Color Doppler Imaging

“…We considered as reliable signs of visual-field worsening the enlargement or the deepening of a preexisting scotoma and the appearance o f new scotomas [21][22][23] when they were present at least in two consecutive examinations and when their significance was confirmed by the statistical compari son between visual fields by means of the Octopus Delta program (change mode) [20,24,25], Of our 28 eyes, 7 showed a visual-field worsening, in spite of good therapy-controlled IOP, while 21 eyes had an unchanged visual field in the considered follow-up period.…”