Which test is used to evaluate pursuit ability by tracing eye movements on a chart?

• A. Groffman Tracings
• B. Pierce Saccades Tests
• C. King-Devick
• D. DEM

Answer: (A)

The test is about smooth pursuit assessment, specifically how well the eyes can follow a line or path on a chart with minimal head movement. Groffman Tracings uses a chart that the patient must follow with their eyes as they trace along predefined lines. This setup directly probes pursuit ability by looking for how smoothly the line is tracked, whether there are catch-up saccades, hesitations, or gaps, and how accurately the path is followed. It’s designed to reveal deficits in the neural circuits that control continuous eye movement, such as cerebellar or brainstem issues.

In contrast, other options focus more on rapid eye movements between targets (saccades) or on number/letter scanning tasks rather than chart tracing. King-Devick and Pierce Saccades Tests emphasize saccadic speed and accuracy during rapid reading-like tasks, while the Developmental Eye Movement test combines saccade tasks with a reading-style format rather than chart tracing for pursuit assessment.