The COVID-19 pandemic and its emphasis on patient safety presented significant challenges for vision care providers across the country. It also paved the way for some of the most notable advancements in ophthalmic technology we have seen in the last few decades. One of them, the VR perimeter, is revolutionizing how practitioners conduct exams in the modern eye care practice.
Perimetry, or visual field testing, is a regular component of annual eye exams. While a traditional bowl perimeter requires a low-light environment and is often set up in a separate room outside of your exam lane, VR perimetry utilizes a pair of lightweight virtual reality goggles that can be transported and used anywhere—even outside of the office environment.
The technology is rapidly advancing, and many VR perimeters, such as the Olleyes VisuALL ETS Comprehensive Testing Suite, offer capabilities that expand beyond visual field testing. These added capabilities include visual acuity (near and far), low-contrast visual acuity, pupillometry, extraocular motility, color vision, and contrast sensitivity.
Benefits of VR Perimetry for Your Practice
If you have been following the latest news about VR perimetry, you have likely given some thought to adding a VR platform to your own practice. Not only are the portable headsets extremely user-friendly and highly affordable, but they offer a multitude of benefits for you and your patients.
Convenience
The portability of the VR headsets make them easy to use in an office environment as well as in a nursing home or hospital setting. There is no need for a separate room or a dark environment, and no special patient prep is required before using them. And, as mentioned above, many products include multiple tests in a single, compact headset.
Patient Comfort
VR perimetry can be performed right in the exam chair or anywhere in the office—even the waiting room—without the need to shuffle patients from room to room and impede patient flow. It offers a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for your patients, especially children. VisuALL VRP platforms even feature a special test for kids that feels more like a video game, plus it solves the challenge of trying to fit their heads into an adult-size desktop perimeter. Your elderly and ADA patients will also appreciate the added flexibility and accessibility.
Efficiency
Traditional perimeters are very time intensive and require technicians to sit with the patient to make sure they are taking the test properly. The right virtual reality testing system can ease this bottleneck. For instance, the VisuALL VRP platform has a built-in virtual assistant that walks patients through each step of the testing process from start to finish. This eliminates the need for constant monitoring and allows your technicians to perform other tasks or assist other patients.
Additionally, doctors using VR perimetry headsets report notably shorter testing times (approximately 3–4 minutes), which in turn leads to shorter exam times and the ability to see more patients throughout the day. Test results can also be quickly and easily uploaded for seamless integration with your EMR/EHR software.
Hygiene
Disinfecting the headsets between patients is quick and easy, and many users report that it takes less time to sanitize their VR perimeter than it does to clean their standard perimeter after each patient test.
Discover VR Perimetry at Veatch
Veatch Ophthalmic Instruments proudly carries Olleyes VisuALL VR platforms to help you streamline exam time and ensure a comfortable, stress-free testing experience for your patients. Request a quote today or contact our team to learn more.
The VisuALL S VRP
(Virtual Reality Platform)
Clinically validated by one of the top eye hospitals in the United States, the VisuALL S VRP System leverages innovative technology and proprietary software.
Its portability, size, automation, and ambient control increase office productivity and revenue by allowing multiple patient tests at the same time. REQUEST A QUOTE
VisuALL ETS Comprehensive Testing Suite
VisuALL ETS automatically analyzes the retinal sensitivity in patients with glaucoma and other visual disorders.
It includes all the capabilities of the VisuALL S and more, including pupillometry, extraocular motility, and visual field with eye tracking.
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