Just relax. I've had many visual field tests and after you've had a
number of them, you realize that a lot of things can affect the test
and the doctor should know not to put that much faith into one single
test but should be looking at a series of them. It's normal for people
to want to "do well" at visual field tests and try to concentrate hard
on seeing every light, but I've had some in which my attention wandered
(or the tech distracted me) and I know I missed some lights, but it
didn't make any real difference in the outcome. The test will give a
reading as to the number of false negatives and false positives and if
these numbers are too high, the test is invalid--in which case the
doctor will have you repeat it at some other time. But even with a lot
of errors (not my fault--due to tech's mistakes) I've never had a test
with so many errors that it wasn't still within the valid range. Don't
worry too much about those tests.
-Gudrun

Firstly, a fields test is a waste of time unless there is a suspicion
of anything wrong. Is there family history of glaucoma? Have you had a
stroke etc.?

FIeld testing is actually pretty easy and something not to stress over.
If you think you saw a flash, you did, so click the button.

I have recently started using a Zeiss Matrix which is the easiest and
quickest test I have ever performed. It takes 5 minutes for a full
threshold test and 1 minute for a screening. You can do it without
glasses and the accuracy is incredible and my patients find it very
straight forward.This instrument will detect glaucoma 3 years earlier
than regular field tests and is great for patients with a family
history of glaucoma as it will detect so much earlier and put them at
ease.

So don't stress, you will do worse on the test. Relax, go with the
flow, if you make a mistake, the computer will think it is suspicious
and retest that spot.

Cheers,

dr grant