Elsevier

Ophthalmology

Volume 113, Issue 10, October 2006, Pages 1807-1812
Ophthalmology

Original Article
Contrast Sensitivity Function and Ocular Higher-Order Wavefront Aberrations in Normal Human Eyes

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2006.03.061Get rights and content

Purpose

To investigate the relation between contrast sensitivity function and ocular higher-order wavefront aberrations in normal human eyes.

Study Design

Prospective observational case series.

Participants

Three hundred seven eyes of 161 normal subjects, ranging in age from 15 to 60 years (30.9±8.0 [mean ± standard deviation]).

Methods

Ocular higher-order aberrations were measured for a 4-mm pupil using the Hartmann–Shack wavefront analyzer. The root-mean-square of the third- and fourth-order Zernike coefficients was used to represent comalike and spherical-like aberrations, respectively. We measured contrast sensitivity, low-contrast visual acuity (VA), and letter contrast sensitivity. From the contrast sensitivity data, the area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) was calculated. Pupil diameter in a photopic condition was recorded using a digital camera.

Results

Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that comalike aberration (P = 0.002) was significantly associated with AULCSF, but spherical-like aberration (P = 0.200), age (P = 0.185), and photopic pupil diameter (P = 0.252) were not. Comalike aberration showed a significant correlation with low-contrast VA (P<0.001), but spherical-like aberration (P = 0.293), age (P = 0.266), and pupil diameter (P = 0.756) did not. Comalike aberration was found to be significantly associated with letter contrast sensitivity (P<0.001), but spherical-like aberration (P = 0.082), age (P = 0.370), and pupil diameter (P = 0.160) were not.

Conclusions

In normal human eyes, comalike aberration of the eye significantly influences contrast sensitivity function.

Section snippets

Subjects and Methods

We studied 307 eyes of 161 subjects (male, 86; female, 75), ranging in age from 15 to 60 years (30.9±8.0 [mean ± standard deviation]). They had no ocular disease except for mild refractive errors (3.52±1.64 diopters [D] [range, +1.5 to −5.75), including myopia, hyperopia, and regular forms of astigmatism (<2.0 D). None of them had a history of ocular surgery. The best spectacle-corrected VA (BSCVA) was 20/20 or better in each eye. The research protocol had institutional review board approval,

Results

Multiple linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between logMAR BSCVA and subject age (P<0.001, coefficient of determination R2 = 0.073; Fig 1). Comalike (P = 0.444) and spherical-like (P = 0.393) aberrations and photopic pupil diameter (P = 0.273) were not statistically associated with logMAR BSCVA.

Comalike aberration was associated significantly with the AULCSF (P = 0.002, R2 = 0.058; Fig 2), but spherical-like aberration (P = 0.200), age (P = 0.185), and pupil diameter (P =

Discussion

In the current study, we evaluated the influence of age and ocular higher-order wavefront aberrations on visual performance, such as logMAR BSCVA and contrast sensitivity function. Because these parameters can interrelate with each other, leading to the occurrence of spurious correlation, we employed multivariate analysis to find the factors that directly influence visual function. Multivariate analysis was repeated 4 times because we tested 4 parameters of visual performance: logMAR BSCVA,

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    Manuscript no. 2005-1048.

    The authors have no individual or family investments; stock or business ownership exceeding 1% of a company’s worth; or consulting, retainer, patent, or other commercial interests in the product or company described in the article. There is no involvement in the marketing of any product, drug, instrument, or piece of equipment discussed in the article that could cause or be perceived to be a conflict of interest.

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