McAnany J Jason, Collison Frederick T
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL, USA.
Clin Exp Optom. 2025 Aug;108(6):738-743. doi: 10.1080/08164622.2024.2402834. Epub 2024 Sep 16.
Contrast sensitivity plays an important role in the comprehensive assessment of visual function; however, measurement with standard eye charts can be affected by age and optical abnormality.
This study describes a novel chart-based test of letter contrast sensitivity (CS) in luminance noise (the Illinois Eye and Ear Noise CS test), defines normal reference ranges, estimates test-retest repeatability, and assesses the effects of age and simulated optical abnormalities.
Seventy-five individuals with normal visual function (age 18-85 years) participated. Subjects identified letter optotypes that spanned a broad contrast range (0.9% to 59.6%) printed in a book-based test. Letters were presented against a grey background (no-noise condition) and in luminance noise that consisted of light and dark checks (noise condition). A subset of 10 subjects repeated the test to define short-term variability and performed the test under three additional conditions: simulated cataract, +2.00D defocus, and low room illuminance.
In the no-noise condition, CS was independent of age (mean log CS of 1.74) until approximately 54 years, and declined for older subjects (CS loss of 0.1 log unit/decade). CS measured in noise was independent of age across the range of ages tested (mean log CS of 0.91). The 95% limits of agreement for test-retest repeatability was 0.19 log units. Simulated cataract, +2.00D defocus, and reduced illumination significantly reduced CS in the no-noise condition (F = 102.6, < 0.001), whereas these optical manipulations did not significantly affect CS in noise (F = 2.58, = 0.074).
Measurements of CS in luminance noise may be valuable, as these measures are largely independent of age and certain forms of optical degradation. CS measurements in noise may provide useful insight into visual function in patients who have combined neural and optical abnormality, as noise minimises CS loss from optical defects.
对比敏感度在视觉功能的综合评估中起着重要作用；然而，使用标准视力表进行测量可能会受到年龄和光学异常的影响。
本研究描述了一种基于图表的在亮度噪声中测量字母对比敏感度（CS）的新测试方法（伊利诺伊眼耳噪声CS测试），定义了正常参考范围，估计了重测重复性，并评估了年龄和模拟光学异常的影响。
75名视觉功能正常的个体（年龄18 - 85岁）参与了研究。受试者在基于书本的测试中识别跨越广泛对比范围（0.9%至59.6%）的字母视标。字母呈现于灰色背景（无噪声条件）以及由明暗方格组成的亮度噪声背景下（噪声条件）。10名受试者的子集重复测试以确定短期变异性，并在另外三种条件下进行测试：模拟白内障、+2.00D散焦和低室内照度。
在无噪声条件下，直到约54岁时CS与年龄无关（平均对数CS为1.74），而对于年龄较大的受试者CS下降（每十年CS损失0.1对数单位）。在噪声中测量的CS在测试的年龄范围内与年龄无关（平均对数CS为0.91）。重测重复性的95%一致性界限为0.19对数单位。模拟白内障、+2.00D散焦和降低照度在无噪声条件下显著降低CS（F = 102.6，P < 0.001），而这些光学操作在噪声中对CS没有显著影响（F = 2.58，P = 0.074）。
在亮度噪声中测量CS可能很有价值，因为这些测量在很大程度上与年龄和某些形式的光学退化无关。在噪声中进行CS测量可能为患有神经和光学联合异常的患者的视觉功能提供有用的见解，因为噪声可将光学缺陷导致的CS损失降至最低。
