During a confrontation test of a client's eyes, what is being measured?

The confrontation test primarily assesses peripheral vision, which refers to the ability to see objects outside of your direct line of sight. During this test, the clinician typically asks the client to cover one eye while the clinician covers their own corresponding eye. The clinician will then present stimuli (like fingers or lights) from the periphery to the center of the visual field, checking whether the client can detect those stimuli at the same time as the clinician. This technique helps identify any potential visual field deficits or abnormalities in peripheral vision.

Depth perception involves the ability to judge distances accurately, which is not evaluated by the confrontation test. Similarly, color vision assesses a person’s ability to perceive colors, typically using specific charts or tests such as the Ishihara test, rather than involving a direct confrontation method. Visual acuity, which measures the clarity or sharpness of vision, is usually assessed separately using an eye chart and does not relate to the peripheral vision examination conducted in a confrontation test.