Recovery of contrast sensitivity following bilateral orbital decompression: a case report.

Contrast sensitivity (CS) was measured in a patient with bilateral optic nerve compression resulting from thyroid ophthalmopathy. Initially both right and left contrast sensitivity functions (CSF's) were markedly attenuated over the spatial frequency range measured. CS improved significantly after surgical decompression although distance visual acuities remained unchanged during most of the period of observation. Sensitivity to medium- and high-spatial frequencies remained attenuated compared to the level achieved by a normal group of subjects of a similar age decade.