Factors Affecting Contrast Sensitivity in Healthy Individuals: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: To determine the demographic and ocular features affecting contrast sensitivity levels in healthy individuals. Materials and. Methods: Seventy-four eyes of 37 subjects (7-65 years old) with refractive errors less than 1.0 diopter, no history of ocular surgery, and 20/20 visual acuity wer...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Turkish Journal of Ophthalmology / Türk Oftalmoloji Dergisi Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 80 - 85
Main Authors: Karatepe, Arzu Seyhan, Köse, Süheyla, Eğrilmez, Sait
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI Apr2017
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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Summary:Objectives: To determine the demographic and ocular features affecting contrast sensitivity levels in healthy individuals. Materials and. Methods: Seventy-four eyes of 37 subjects (7-65 years old) with refractive errors less than 1.0 diopter, no history of ocular surgery, and 20/20 visual acuity were included in the study. The participants were divided by age into three groups: group 1, 7-19 years, n=11; group 2, 20-49 years, n=15; and group 3, 50-65 years, n=11. All subjects underwent anterior and posterior segment evaluation, intraocular pressure measurements, refraction measurements, and clinical evaluation for strabismus. Contrast static test was performed using Metrovision MonPack 3 vision monitor system after measuring pupil diameter. Photopic and mesopic measurements were taken sequentially from right eyes, left eyes, and both eyes together. Results: Contrast sensitivity at intermediate and high spatial frequencies was lower with increasing age. Binocular measurements were better than monocular, and mesopic measurements were better than photopic measurements at all spatial frequencies. Contrast sensitivity at higher spatial frequency was lower with hyperopic refraction values. Conclusion: Increasing age, small pupil diameter, hyperopia, and photopic conditions were associated with lower contrast sensitivity in healthy individuals. Binocular contrast sensitivity measurements were better than monocular contrast sensitivity measurements in all conditions and spatial frequencies.