Auto-perimeter Dicon AP2000

Historical Significance: Perimetry has a long history but was revolutionised in 1980s by the introduction of automated static perimetry. Von Graefe is credited with introducing perimetry. In 1855, at the age of 28, he published "Examination of the Visual Functions in Amblyopic Affections." He used a crude tangent screen for his investigations. It was not until 1869 that the arc perimeter was devised by Aubert and Forster. The first book devoted entirely to visual-field testing was written by Wilhelm Schon and published in 1874. Danish ophthalmologist Jannik Bjerrum (1851-1920), advanced the idea of testing central fields using a tangent screen in the closing years of the 19th C. Goldmann and Traquair (1875-1954) standarised measurement of visual fields by better instruments (the Goldmann Perimeter) and standardised targets (in the Goldmann perimeter in 1945 and Traquair targets for central field testing). Automated perimeter was introduced with the automation of the Goldmann bowl in 1980 followed by the development of instruments such as the Octopus and Humphrey visual field analysers that used projection stimuli in the bowl. This instrument used LED stimuli and was first manufactured about 1982. There is an article on the calibration of the Dicon in Amer J Ophthalmol 1983; 96: 744-50. See http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/ips/PerimetryHistory/index.htm for a short but authoriative history of perimetery