title: Contrast sensitivity function and ocular higher-order wavefront aberrations in normal human eyes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relation between contrast sensitivity function and ocular higher-order wavefront aberrations in normal human eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred seven eyes of 161 normal subjects, ranging in age from 15 to 60 years (30.9+/-8.0 [mean +/- standard deviation]).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ocular higher-order aberrations were measured for a 4-mm pupil using the Hartmann-Shack wavefront analyzer. The root-mean-square of the third- and fourth-order Zernike coefficients was used to represent comalike and spherical-like aberrations, respectively. We measured contrast sensitivity, low-contrast visual acuity (VA), and letter contrast sensitivity. From the contrast sensitivity data, the area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) was calculated. Pupil diameter in a photopic condition was recorded using a digital camera.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that comalike aberration (P = 0.002) was significantly associated with AULCSF, but spherical-like aberration (P = 0.200), age (P = 0.185), and photopic pupil diameter (P=0.252) were not. Comalike aberration showed a significant correlation with low-contrast VA (P<0.001), but spherical-like aberration (P = 0.293), age (P = 0.266), and pupil diameter (P = 0.756) did not. Comalike aberration was found to be significantly associated with letter contrast sensitivity (P<0.001), but spherical-like aberration (P=0.082), age (P = 0.370), and pupil diameter (P = 0.160) were not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In normal human eyes, comalike aberration of the eye significantly influences contrast sensitivity function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. toshika@md.tsukuba.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshika
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Samejima
authors.forename: Tadatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyata
mesh_terms: D000065:Accommodation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011680:Pupil / Q000502:physiology; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology