title: Assessing retinal/neural function in patients with cataract using oscillatory displacement thresholds.
abstract: Oscillatory displacement threshold (ODT) measurement has been proposed as a useful means of assessing retinal/neural function behind cataract. In order to examine the qualitative predictive ability of this technique, the influence of age, simulated cataract, and various posterior segment disorders upon ODT's were investigated. In a separate investigation, thresholds were measured in 30 cataract patients on the eve of surgery, and again 6 to 8 weeks postoperatively. ODT's were found to increase with age (p < 0.001) and were highly resistant to the effects of image degradation as produced by simulated cataract. In addition, thresholds were sensitive to the presence of retinal/neural disorders (p << 0.001). Although not completely independent of the presence of cataract, higher ODT's were measured in cataract patients with coexistent retinal/neural dysfunction than was the case for patients with normal posterior segments (p < 0.001). Preoperative ODT measurement may offer a means of distinguishing between the optical and retinal/neural components of visual impairment in patients with cataract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, U.K.
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eustace
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods*