title: Evaluation of the visual system in multiple sclerosis: a comparative study of diagnostic tests.
abstract: In 22 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) who were without visual symptoms and had a visual acuity of at least 1.0 in both eyes at the time of measurement, the following tests were performed to detect subclinical lesions in the visual system: visual evoked potential (VEP), contrast sensitivity test (CS), flight of colours test (FOC), colour vision test (Ishihara plates) (CV) and the pupillary light reflex (PLR). VEP was abnormal in 81.8%, CS in 72.7%, FOC in 36.4%, CV in 31.8%, and PLR in 52.3% of the patients. VEP and CS together were most sensitive: combining these techniques subclinical lesions of the visual system were detected in 90.9% (20/22) of these asymptomatic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: van Diemen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lanting
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Koetsier
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Strijers
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: van Walbeek
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Polman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000360:Afterimage / Q000502:physiology; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D003117:Color Vision Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012025:Reflex, Pupillary / Q000502:physiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology