A visual field test measures how much 'side' vision you have. It is a straightforward test, painless, and does not involve eye drops. Essentially lights are flashed on, and you have to press a button whenever you see the light. Your head is kept still and you have to place your chin on a chin rest. The lights are bright or dim at different stages of the test. Some of the flashes are purely to check if you are concentrating.
Each eye is tested separately and the entire test takes 6-15 minutes. Normally the test is carried out by a computerized instrument, called a Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer.
Visual Field testing can help detect eye conditions such as glaucoma, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and neurological conditions such as brain tumors and aneurysms.
