title: Clinical application of temporal modulation transfer function.
abstract: The temporal modulation transfer function (temporal MTF) was measured in normal controls and in patients with retinal diseases, optic neuritis and amblyopia. The temporal MTF of controls showed "band-pass" filter properties, having a peak sensitivity at about 15 Hz at 1,000 trolands of mean retinal illuminance. As the retinal illuminance was reduced, the sensitivity decreased, first at high temporal frequencies, then the peak sensitivity decreased. Finally at low temporal frequencies the sensitivity decreased and the peak shifted toward the lower frequency. In retinal diseases, abnormal temporal MTF was detected, and the curves were very similar to those of normal controls when retinal illuminance was reduced. These patterns were not specific to any retinal diseases, and the severity of the condition seemed to determine the pattern. In optic neuritis, an attenuated sensitivity was detected in all frequency ranges; however, the degree of attenuation was more severe than that found in retinal diseases even when the visual acuity was similar. At the convalescent stage, the low frequency sensitivity was restored first, and high frequency loss was observed even when the visual acuity was recovered to 1.0. Two amblyopic patients showed an attenuated sensitivity in the high and intermediate frequency ranges, and in one case sensitivity was attenuated in all frequencies. Three other patients showed normal sensitivity. By occlusion of the nonamblyopic eye, recovery of the sensitivity was observed in one patient whose visual acuity improved.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009799:Ocular Physiological Phenomena; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000503:physiopathology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D014785:Vision, Ocular