Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the test-retest agreement and reliability of the novel active-learning quantitative contrast sensitivity function (qCSF) device.
Methods :
Seventy-nine (79) eyes of 57 retina clinic patients with various vitreo-retinal disorders were prospectively tested and subsequently retested on the same day at Massachusetts Eye and Ear using the novel qCSF Manifold Contrast Vision Meter (Adaptive Sensory Technology). Contrast sensitivity outcomes included: area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF), and contrast thresholds at 1, 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles per degree (cpd). Agreement between test and retest measurements was assessed using Bland Alman (BA) plots. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
Results :
Bland-Altman plots showed a mean bias of nearly zero for all contrast sensitivity outcomes of the qCSF device. The lower to upper limit of agreement was approximately −0.1 to + 0.1 for AULCSF and −0.1 to + 0.1, −0.075 to + 0.075, −0.13 to + 0.19, −0.25 to + 0.25, −0.7 to + 0.6 and −0.5 to + 0.55 for contrast thresholds at 1, 1.5, 3, 6, 12 and 18 cpd, respectively. ICC demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (>0.9) for all qCSF outcome metrics, with the exception of the contrast threshold at 18 cpd. The ICC for AULCSF was 0.901 with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) for ICC population values of 0.85 to 0.936. The ICC for the contrast thresholds at 1, 1.5, 3, 6, 12 and 18 cpd were 0.821 (95% CI for ICC population values: 0.735 to 0.882), 0.924 (95% CI for ICC population values: 0.884 to 0.951), 0.943 (95% CI for ICC population values: 0.912 to 0.963), 0.948 (95% CI for ICC population values: 0.92 to 0.966), 0.949 (95% CI for ICC population values: 0.922 to0.967), and 0.831 (95% CI for ICC population values: 0.707 to 0.906), respectively.
Conclusions :
Test-retest agreement and test-retest reliability were excellent for all contrast outcomes derived from the qCSF device, including AULCSF and contrast thresholds at 1 to 18cpd. Incorporating functional outcomes with excellent test-retest agreement and reliability such as the qCSF device in the clinical practice and clinical trials offers the clinicians and researchers good perspectives on whether measured changes in contrast sensitivity can be attributed to the test-retest variability of the device or whether they represent a real change in visual performance.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.