Abstract
The effect of light scattering by ocular media opacities on OCTOPUS and Humphrey perimeter threshold measurements was simulated with randomly ordered sequences of six ground-glass diffusers in the right eyes of five subjects. Threshold measurements were performed at 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, and 25° nasally along the 180° meridian with the F4 program on an OCTOPUS perimeter, and with twice-repeated profiles on a Humphrey perimeter. The reduction in differential light sensitivity correlated well with the 2.7-dB to 16.7-dB reduction in stimulus intensity caused by the 46% to 98% scattering of incident light by the diffusers. Contrast sensitivity in the presence of a glare source (Miller-Nadler glare test) was also affected by the diffusers, such that a 75% contrast target was not visible through the strongest diffuser whereas a 5% contrast target was visible without a diffuser. Conversely, the diffusers had very little effect on visual acuity measurements that were performed with projected high-contrast targets in a darkened room. Our data suggest that even minimal light scattering, such as might be caused by a cataract that has a relatively insignificant effect on visual acuity, may influence threshold measurements.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1247-1251 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Archives of ophthalmology |
Volume | 106 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1988 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology