Shiley Eye Institute | VisFAct

Visual Field Reading Center

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Visual Field Reading Center

VisFACT Visual Field Reading Center

Who We Are
‍The Visual Field Assessment Center (VisFACT), a visual field reading center, offers a wide variety of services in support of clinical research. Our highly skilled researchers and staff are expertly trained in several types of visual field testing and analysis. Our extensive experience includes collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, other universities, research centers, and clinics in the United States and around the world.
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What We Do
Our areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, the Humphrey Field Analyzer and Frequency Doubling Technology Perimetry. We often work directly with the manufacturers and engineers of our visual field equipment and related software.

Visual Field Reading Center

Services

VisFACT offers a variety of services to meet study-specific needs. Dr. Bowd and the VisFACT team will work with the study sponsor to provide the optimum complement of services to ensure successful data extraction, management, and quality of visual fields..
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Protocol Development‍

  • Assist in development of visual field protocols
  • Develop and maintain data collection forms and study documents
  • Provide study-specific manual of procedures
  • Provide protocols and training for electronic transfer of visual fields between sites and sponsors
  • Provide study-specific information to study manufacturers to assist in upgrading or standardizing instruments across sites

‍Training & Certification

  • Training of study personnel
  • Certification of study personnel

Quality Assessment

  • Review visual fields for quality and adherence to protocol
  • Provide quality control feedback to study centers
  • Request repeated testing or data corrections as needed to ensure complete and accurate data
  • Test and pre-approve all instrument hardware and software upgrades utilized

Data Handling

  • FDA, HIPAA and IRB compliant data handling
  • Study-specific visual field quality and protocol adherence assessment
  • In-house IT /computer programming specialists available to create and maintain secure databases and provide support for all study needs
  • Efficient electronic transfer of visual fields and test results

Processing and Analysis

  • Review visual fields for specific diagnoses and inclusion/exclusion criteria
  • Provide progression analysis
  • Provide statistical analysis
  • Other Services

Contact Dr. Bowd to discuss services not listed above. A companion reading center, the IDEA Center, is available to provide similar services for photographic and imaging data.

VisFACT

Reading Center Studies

VisFACT has provided reading center services for the following studies:
‍Sponsored by National Eye Institute:

  • Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study (DIGS) (1995-2016)
  • Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma: Clinical Electrophysiology (2007-2009)
  • African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES) (2002-2016)
  • Medical Advice from Glaucoma Informatics (MAGI)  (2002-2007)
  • Predicting and Detecting Glaucomatous Progression Using Pattern Recognition (2012-2016)

Sponsored by Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners  (2010-2013):

  • Vigabatrin for Treatment of Cocaine Dependence: A Phase II Study. Protocol Number CPP-01005.
  • Vigabatrin for Treatment of Cocaine Dependence: A Phase II Study. Protocol Number CPP-01004.
  • Vigabatrin for Treatment of Methamphetamine Dependence: A Phase II Study. Number CPP-02001.
VisFACT

Reading Center Personnel

The application is now available for the 2025 - 2026 yearlong internship program.

  • Linda Zangwill, PhD; Director, IDEA Center
  • Christopher Bowd, PhD; Director, VisFACT
  • Keri Dirkes, MPH; Supervisor, IDEA Center/ VisFACT
  • Maria Hunsicker; Coordinator, IDEA Center
  • Suzanne Vega, MPH; Coordinator, VisFACT/ IDEA Center
VisFACT

Scientific Advisory Board

Our Reading Centers include internationally recognized ophthalmologists and researchers including:

  • Christopher Bowd, PhD
  • Robert N. Weinreb, MD
  • Linda M. Zangwill, PhD
Additional Information & Resources
Mission Statement
Engagement with UCSD Health and Campus
Additional Links and Resources

Information about diversity and inclusion is available through multiple venues. First, there are several websites available that provide information about diversity initiatives across the entire campus (diversity.ucsd.edu) and the (School of Medicine). Many departments have their own websites as well. Virtually all departments at UCSD have identified an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) ambassador, typically a faculty member who spearheads diversity-related initiatives in their areas/specialties and also collaborates with various entities across the medical school.

There are several active affinity organizations for UCSD medical students. These include:

‍The Association of Native American Medical Students (ANAMS)
‍The Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association (APAMSA)LGBTQ
Pharmacy and Medical Students (LGBTQ-PhaM)
‍The Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)
‍Medical Students for Justice (MS4J)
‍The Student National Medical Association (SNMA)

‍UCSD also offers a curricular pathway called Program in Medical Education – Health Equity (PRIME - HEq), which part of a system-wide effort at the University of California to train physicians better able to meet the needs of the diverse Californian population who are traditionally underserved by the medical system. PRIME-HEq faculty work with students to identify populations or communities at risk for health disparities. Students will then receive exposure, training, and the opportunity to work with the identified group to further their passion in the area and provide knowledge and skills to better equip the students to improve health equity for the group.