The 4th International Visual Field Symposium of the International Perimetric Society, was held on the 13-16 April 1980 in Bristol, England, at the occasion of the 6th Congress of the European Society of Ophthalmology. The main themes of the symposium were comparison of classical perimetry with visual evoked response, comparison of classical perimetry with special psychophysi cal methods, and optic nerve pathology. Understandably many papers dealt with computer assisted perimetry. This rapidly developing subgroup of peri metry may radically change the future of our method of examination. New instruments were introduced, new and exciting software was proposed and the results of comparative investigations reported. There have been many confusing statements in the literature on the relative value of perimetry and the registration of visual evoked responses. Several reports attempted to bring some clarity in this issue. There is reason for further comparative research. A number of papers dealt with special psychophysical methods, i.e. methods not using the simply monocular differential threshold. The old critical fusion frequency received new attention. Fundusperimetry was used for testing spatial summation. Acuity perimetry, binocular perimetry etc. showed that there exist many possibilities for examining visual function. At present it is not clear to us what exactly the place of these methods is in our diagnostic armament. However it is quite clear that some of them are promising and may lead to a further differentiation of perimetric methods."

The 5th International Visual Field Symposium of the International Peri metric Society was held on October 20-23, 1982, in Sacramento, California, before the joint meeting of the International Congress of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A majority of the members of the International Perimetric Society took part in the meeting together with many guests. The topics of the symposium were: glaucoma: correlation between the visual field and the optic disc; the visual field in low-tension glaucoma; neuro-ophthalmology and ergo-perimetry. Apart from this there were many papers on automated perimetry and general topics. The papers concerning the correlation of optic disc and visual field dealt with several aspects: peripapillary atrophy, defects in the retinal nerve fiber layer, fluorescein angiography and the characteristics of the glaucomatous excavation itself. New and interesting findings were presented showing that the careful, detailed observation of the disc and peripapillary area is re warding. The visual fields in low-tension glaucoma were studied extensively by four groups. Various approaches to the problem have led to some differences in results, which were extensively discussed. In the general glaucoma session the visual fatigue phenomenon was dis cussed extensively; apparently conflicting results were demonstrated re garding the stability of contrast threshold measurements during one and the same test session in glaucoma. The relationship between the visual field and the performance at the working place was considered in the session on ergo-perimetry."

The proceedings of this symposium on Medical Therapy in Glaucoma are divided in four major parts. The pharmacological introduction gives the reader a short description of factors that are involved between administration of the drug and its action at the desired position in the eye. The new and exciting field of drug delivery systems will be dealt with in this part and part II. Originally we had asked Ken Richardson to give part of the lectures on Membrane technology and basic aspects of cholinergic action. Unfortu nately at the last moment he could not come. Our thanks go to Gavin Paterson and Klaus Heilmann who were willing to take over a part of his job. Part II on cholinergic action offers next to the well-known drugs infor mation about Ocusert. Part III covers the new developments in the adrenergic field, including guanethidine and atenolol. The clinical aspects of medical therapy in glaucoma are covered by Part IV. Many subjects could not be handled. We left out the systemic treatment of glaucoma (diamox, mannitol etc.). We left out all special cases and prob lem cases. Some questions could be answered during the round table discus sion, most remained unanswered. It is clear that there is enough subject-mat ter and interest for another symposium on therapy of glaucoma."

The European Glaucoma Society was founded in the spring of 1978 at the initiative of Drs Fran ois, Leydhecker and Greve. Representatives of most European countries met in Ghent and agreed to create a society that would promote the contacts and exchange of knowledge between European glauco matologists. The European Glaucoma Society serves to stimulate glaucoma research and diffuse specific knowledge to general ophthalmologists. The European Glaucoma Society would like to cooperate closely with similar glaucoma organizations in other continents. The first symposium of the EGS was held in April 1980 in Brighton, England. No proceedings were published. The second symposium took place in May 1984 in Hyvinkiiii, Finland. A great number of participants enjoyed a well organized scientific programme of attractive quality. The local organization was in the able hands of Raitta and her colleagues, Raivio and Lehto. The scientific programme was coordinated in Amsterdam where a great amount of work was done by Stella Ompi, secretary to the general secretary. The contents of the meeting have been summarized in this book. This second symposium of the EGS, which took place in an atmosphere of great enthusiasm and friendship, has shown great promise for the future of the European glaucoma."

The Seventh International Visual Field Symposium organized by the Interna tional Perimetric Society was held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 6-10,1986. In many respects it was an exciting and fruitful meeting. The number of participants was greater than ever. The number of papers was too great to accommodate all of them. The quality of the papers reflects the continuously rising interest in perimetry in general and in automated perimetry in particular. Last but not least the social programme was organized in the, by now, almost classical friendly, enjoyable and humouristic style of the International Perimetric Society. This created an atmosphere of openness and free exchange of informa tion whICh was clearly also felt in the scientific sessions. The scientific part was divided in seven sessions with 44 spoken papers and a separate postersession during which the 46 posters were discussed. The major themes of the meeting were 'The influence of media-disturbances on the visual field' and 'Advances in perimetry in glaucoma with special emphasis on pro gression'. The session on 'media' provided interesting information on how the visual field was effected by preretinal filters. The authors either studied the influence of lens or corneal opacities or simulated opacities by special filters placed in front of the eye. In two papers the effect of cataract was qualified by photography or stray light measurements."

The HF A is a computerized perimeter with a very comprehensive set of test point patterns, strategies and custom tests. The instrument employs several solutions which have proved useful in earlier computerized perimeters and several new concepts. The construction with stimulus generation through a projection system, input through a CRT, programmes stored in PROMs and a double disc drive for storage of test results makes it simple to adapt the instrument to future needs, whether these are new test algorithms or point patterns, different input or display screens or new statistical analysis programmes. All these changes could be made without modification of actual instrument hardware. REFERENCES 1. Dannheim, F. and Drance, S.M. Psycho visual disturbances in glaucoma. A study of temporal and spatial summation. Arch. Ophthalmol. 91: 463 -468 (1974). 2. Fankhauser, F. and Hiiberlin, H. Dynamic range and stray light. An estimate of the falsifying effect of stray light in perimetry. Documenta Ophthalmol. 50: 143-167 (1980). 3. Fankhauser, F., Hiiberlin, H. and Jenni, A. Octopus programs SAPRO and F. Two new principles for the analyses of the visual field. Graefes Arch. Klin. exp Ophthal- mo1216: 155-165 (1981). 4. Gramer, E. and Krieglstein, G.K. Zur Spezifitiit der iiberschwelligen Computer- perimetrie. Klin. Mbl. Augenheilk. 181; 373-375 (1982). 5. Gramer, E., Kontic, D. and Krieglstein, G.K. Die computerperimetrische Dar- stellung glaukomatoser Gesichtsfelddefekte in Abhangigkeit von der Stimulus- grosse. Ophthalmologica 183: 162-167 (1981).

The Seventh International Visual Field Symposium organized by the Interna tional Perimetric Society was held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 6-10,1986. In many respects it was an exciting and fruitful meeting. The number of participants was greater than ever. The number of papers was too great to accommodate all of them. The quality of the papers reflects the continuously rising interest in perimetry in general and in automated perimetry in particular. Last but not least the social programme was organized in the, by now, almost classical friendly, enjoyable and humouristic style of the International Perimetric Society. This created an atmosphere of openness and free exchange of informa tion whICh was clearly also felt in the scientific sessions. The scientific part was divided in seven sessions with 44 spoken papers and a separate postersession during which the 46 posters were discussed. The major themes of the meeting were 'The influence of media-disturbances on the visual field' and 'Advances in perimetry in glaucoma with special emphasis on pro gression'. The session on 'media' provided interesting information on how the visual field was effected by preretinal filters. The authors either studied the influence of lens or corneal opacities or simulated opacities by special filters placed in front of the eye. In two papers the effect of cataract was qualified by photography or stray light measurements."

ERIK L. GREVE The 3rd International Visual Field Symposium was held on the 4th till the 6th of May 1978 in Tokyo for the members and guests of the International Perimetric Society. The Proceedings of this symposium follow the general lines of the pro gramme with some minor alterations. This symposium was a so-called topic-symposium where selected topics were introduced by experts in the field. These topics were: Neuro-ophtha mo ogy. 1. Funduscopic correlates of visual field defects. 2. Visual field defects due to tumors of the sellar region. Glaucoma. 1. The earliest visual field defects in glaucoma. 2. The reversibility of glaucomatous visual field defects. Methodology. 1. Automation. 2. The relation between the position of a lesion in the fundus and in the visual field. Apart from the introductory papers, free papers were given on the topics non-topic free papers. and also some Much attention has been given to the discussion. Most of the discussion remarks in this Proceedings are the original taped remarks of the discussion speakers. We have choosen this form of presentation to take to the reader the athmosphere of the discussion and to preserve originality. The chairman of the sessions have presented a summary or even better an interpretation of the trends in their topics. This introduction gives a short overview of the main themes of the symposium."

does not vary more than 1 % over the whole surface. Stimulus: The luminance of the stimuli can be regulated by means of neutral density filters. These filters are neither entirely neutral nor completely uniform, but these variations are not significant for perimetry. The maximum luminance of the stimuli is standardized at 1000 asb (316 2 cd.m-). The standard GP for kinetic perimetry has 3 neutral density filters which reduce the luminance by 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 log units respectively. The modification of the GP for static perimetry is supplied with an additional series of four neutral density filters, which allow luminance steps of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 log units. The resulting luminance values, expressed in apostilb, are given in Table I. TABLE I Luminance values of the Goldmann perimeter 4 3 2 steps lux 1430 450 143 45 3,1 asb 1000 315 100 31,5 3,1 2 cd/m 315 100 31,5 10 3,1 ssL +/-30 10 3 3,1 L log L asb 3 2,5 2 2 1,5 0,5 2 Background: 31,5 asb. = 10 cd/m * Coefficient of reflection 0,7. 1 2 (1 asb = -cd/m).