Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity Test in Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate contrast sensitivity in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients using a new contrast sensitivity instrument.

Methods: Age-related Macular Degeneration patients and controls were prospectively evaluated using the Spaeth-Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) method and the Pelli-Robson test. Testing was performed monocularly in a standardized testing environment. Contrast thresholds for the central, superonasal, superotemporal, inferonasal and inferotemporal areas of vision were determined. The contrast sensitivity scores for each area of vision and the cumulative scores of AMD patients were compared with those of the controls. The results were analyzed with Spearman coefficients for continuous variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for categorical variables.

Results: Fifty-four eyes with AMD and one-hundred and eighty control eyes completed the study. The mean SPARCS scores were 54.6 for patients with AMD and 73.9 for controls (p<0.01). The SPARCS scores were significantly lower in all five quadrants for AMD patients (p<0.01).

Conclusions: SPARCS was able to discriminate well between patients with AMD and controls. SPARCS may become a standard technique to assess visual function in AMD patients.

Keywords: 478 contrast sensitivity • 412 age-related macular degeneration