title: Blur sensitivity in myopes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the ability of myopes and emmetropes to detect subjectively the presence of retinal defocus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (12 myopes, 12 emmetropes) were cyclopleged and monocularly viewed a bipartite target through an appropriate near addition lens via a 2-mm artificial pupil. One-half of the target remained fixed while the other half was alternatively moved forward or backward until subjects first reported a difference in clarity between the two halves of the target.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean blur threshold for the emmetropes and myopes was +/-0.11 and +/-0.19 D, respectively (p = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that myopes are less sensitive to the presence of blur, and may at least partially explain why previous reports have demonstrated a larger lag of accommodation in this refractive group. Additionally, the hyperopic retinal defocus resulting from the increased accommodative error may play a significant role in myopia development and progression.
authors.affiliation: State University of New York, College of Optometry, New York 10010, USA. Rosenfield@sunyopt.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenfield
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Abraham-Cohen
mesh_terms: D000065:Accommodation, Ocular; D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*