title: Contrast sensitivity and the effect of 60-hour sleep deprivation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to evaluate the possible influence of prolonged sleep deprivation on achromatic and chromatic (red-green and blue-yellow) contrast sensitivity (CS).
  
  
  METHODS
  During 60-hr sleep deprivation, CS was measured in 11 naval officers every sixth hour using videographic (Vigra-C) sine-wave-generated stimuli.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When comparing the CS measurements obtained in the first and last 24 hr of the study, no statistically significant mean changes of achromatic CS (2.0, 5.9 and 11.8 cpd) or yellow-blue CS (0.6, 2.0 and 4.7 cpd) were found, while a significantly increased mean red-green CS at 2.0 and 4.7 cpd was recorded in the last 24 hr (p = 0.003 in both). The variance of achromatic and chromatic CS measurements in the group did not differ significantly in the first and last 24 hr test periods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prolonged sleep deprivation does apparently not cause clinically or occupationally significant changes of contrast sensitivity in otherwise healthy subjects with normal visual acuity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Vilhelm F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Koefoed
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aßmus
authors.forename: Kristian S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hövding
authors.forename: Bente E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Moen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055253:Color Vision / Q000502:physiology*; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D009664:Norway; D009799:Ocular Physiological Phenomena; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: contrast sensitivity; eye; fatigue; sleep deprivation; visual function