title: EVALUATING CONTRAST SENSITIVITY IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION USING A NOVEL COMPUTER-BASED TEST, THE SPAETH/RICHMAN CONTRAST SENSITIVITY TEST.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contrast sensitivity (CS) is a valuable measure of visual function in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The authors aimed to compare a novel computer-based test (the Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity test) with Pelli-Robson test for evaluating CS in patients with AMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective cross-sectional study, CS was evaluated in patients with various stages of AMD and healthy controls using Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity test and Pelli-Robson test. Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity test determined CS scores for 5 areas of vision for each eye (central, superonasal, superotemporal, inferonasal, and inferotemporal) and the total score. Test scores between the two methods were compared using mixed-effects linear regression. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to determine correlations. Test-retest reliability was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 35 participants with AMD (54 eyes) and 34 controls (66 eyes), 51% were female and 93% were of European descent. The mean Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity test score for the central area and each of the 4 peripheral quadrants was significantly lower for patients with AMD versus controls (P < 0.001 for all). The mean Pelli-Robson score was also significantly lower in patients with AMD versus controls (P < 0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient for Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity test total score and Pelli-Robson score was 0.87 and 0.92, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity test, a novel Internet-based method of testing CS, had significantly lower scores for patients with AMD compared with controls for central and peripheral vision. This test is a valuable tool for assessing CS in AMD.
authors: Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Bruno M
authors: BM
authors: Faria
authors: Fulya
authors: F
authors: Duman
authors: Cindy X
authors: CX
authors: Zheng
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Waisbourd
authors: Lalita
authors: L
authors: Gupta
authors: Mohsin
authors: M
authors: Ali
authors: Camila
authors: C
authors: Zangalli
authors: Lan
authors: L
authors: Lu
authors: Sheryl S
authors: SS
authors: Wizov
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Spaeth
authors: Jesse
authors: J
authors: Richman
authors: George L
authors: GL
authors: Spaeth
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology