Summary: VF2000 vs. Humphrey Visual Field
The Humphrey Visual Field has long been a standard in visual field testing, but many practices struggle with space, patient mobility, testing delays, and workflow limitations. The VF2000 offers a compact, VR-based alternative that can bring visual field testing closer to the patient while supporting familiar clinical test patterns.
For practices with an existing Humphrey, the VF2000 can work as a second device to reduce backlogs, support satellite locations, and improve access for elderly or mobility-limited patients. For practices without a traditional perimeter, it offers a more flexible way to perform visual field testing without needing a dedicated room.
We’re all familiar with the Humphrey Visual Field. Whether we’ve operated the machine as a doctor, a tech, or on the other side, as a patient, we all agree it is the gold standard as far as testing… so why is there even competition?
It’s simple – there’s always room to improve.
While the HFA in its many iterations over the years is the standard all other visual fields are compared to, that doesn’t mean there aren’t areas where perimetry can’t be improved.
If you know the HFA, then you know where these areas of improvement are:
Access
This one is multifaceted – sure, we could be talking about patients with issues like those confined to their beds or in wheelchairs but, I mean, how many times have you had to slow walk an elderly patient (that can be a potential liability for falling) all the way back to the testing room and then do it again to get them to the lane.
What about access, as far as having a small, privately owned practice in a low-income community? The HFA can be prohibitive not only due to the cost of the device itself, but also the need to have a dedicated room and the consumables and maintenance it requires. What about practices in retail locations with space constraints? And the mobile medical providers that visit nursing homes or even large multi-doctor specialty practices with a dedicated testing room and a big fancy expensive set-up – even they must deal with the bottle neck a visual field you need to repeat can cause.
A portable visual field test device that provides the controlled environment, test patterns you are familiar with, VRVF or virtual reality perimeters, addresses the issue of access on all fronts. Not only is it an accessible device you can take to your patients to meet them where they are (and is eligible for the ADA tax credit to boot!). It is also more cost-effective as it does not require a dedicated physical space, and there are options with a low cost of entry into the technology.
Comfort
As a tech, there were two tests I dreaded having to run on patients and even having them done as a patient: the tonometer and the visual field.
While the VRVF can’t do anything to help patients not flinch at a puff of air, improving patient comfort was something we could address.
Ease of Use
Depending on which model of the HFA you own, as a doctor or tech, you may have had to deal with occluding one eye, calculating the necessary add power, and taking into account the patient’s prescription. You’ve maybe had to order and change out specialty paper, and I know that just looking at the chapter on cleaning the HFA gave me anxiety during my time as a tech.
All that was worth it because we got excellent diagnostic support from the HFA – if it’s not broken, why fix it!
The Micro Medical Devices, Inc. VRVF was the first to be developed and made commercially available with the goal of providing results on par with the HFA in a more user and patient-friendly device.
More competitors have since entered the field (Olleyes, Heru, Radius, Virtual Vision, Virtual Field, etc.), with each having a slightly different approach; most of these reinforce how this technology stands on the shoulders of giants and gives eye care professionals more access and more choices.
The test patterns, full and fast strategies, SAP (Static Automated Perimetry), and kinetic (Goldmann type testing), FDT were not reinvented; they are the current standard and pinnacle of diagnostics for glaucoma, optic nerve damage, macular degeneration, and disease or trauma-induced vision-compromising neurological issues. Simply making these test types as accurate, repeatable, and comparable to their tabletop predecessors on the VRVF has revolutionized the industry.
Would we love to invent a special test pattern and strategy that no one has ever seen before? Sure, but having the ability to compare test results your patient brought from their referring doctor without having to learn a new diagnostic language is more critical.
All that to say – if you have a Humphrey’s, that’s great!
If you need a second device to help address bottlenecks, consider VRVF.
If you don’t have a Humphrey’s and can’t afford the cost or the space, VRVF is just as good and may provide you with some added benefits you would get with the HFA.
If you have an aging patient population, consider the benefit of moving the device vs moving the patient.
If this article piqued your interest, the VF2000 has two different models, including over 30 visual field patterns and different test types and strategies, including full and fast thresholds, kinetic, ptosis, and neuro. In addition to visual fields, we offer optional modules that expand testing, and if you are in the US, we offer a 30-day risk-free trial – if you choose not to keep the device, you only pay the shipping.
Contact us today to learn more about VF2000, compare models, or request a demo for your practice.
1. Is the VF2000 meant to replace the Humphrey Visual Field?
Not necessarily. Many practices use the VF2000 as a complementary visual field device rather than a direct replacement. For clinics that already have a Humphrey Visual Field, the VF2000 can help reduce testing bottlenecks, support overflow testing, and make visual field testing more accessible for patients who may have difficulty walking to a dedicated testing room. For practices that do not have the space or budget for a traditional bowl perimeter, the VF2000 may serve as a more practical visual field testing solution.
2. What makes VR visual field testing different from traditional bowl perimetry?
Traditional bowl perimetry typically requires a fixed machine, a dedicated testing space, and patient positioning at the device. VR visual field testing uses a headset-based platform, allowing the device to be more compact and portable. This can help practices bring the test to the patient, support mobile or satellite workflows, and reduce the need for a dedicated visual field room.
3. Can the VF2000 perform familiar visual field test patterns?
Yes. The VF2000 is designed to support familiar visual field testing patterns and strategies used in clinical practice, including threshold testing, screening, kinetic testing, ptosis testing, and neuro-related visual field testing. This helps doctors and technicians transition to VR-based testing without needing to learn a completely new diagnostic language.
4. Who can benefit most from using the VF2000?
The VF2000 can benefit ophthalmology and optometry practices that want to improve patient access, reduce visual field testing bottlenecks, save space, or expand testing capabilities without adding a large traditional perimeter. It may be especially useful for practices with elderly patients, wheelchair users, mobile providers, satellite offices, retail locations, and high-volume clinics that need a second visual field device.
5. Does Micro Medical Devices offer a trial for the VF2000?
Yes. For U.S. practices, Micro Medical Devices offers a 30-day risk-free trial for the VF2000. This allows clinics to evaluate the device in their own workflow, with their own staff and patients, before making a final purchasing decision. According to the blog, if the practice chooses not to keep the device, they only pay shipping.
