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Critical flicker fusion frequency in age‐related macular degeneration
Author(s) -
MAIER MM,
GRONEBERG T,
SPECHT H,
LOHMANN CP
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2008.5221.x
Subject(s) - medicine , flicker fusion threshold , significant difference , macular degeneration , ophthalmology , flicker , electrical engineering , engineering
Purpose To discuss the influence of AMD on critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) Methods CFF was measured centrally for red, green and blue signal and in 10° excentricity with a red signal. 33 patients with non exsudative AMD and a visual acuity (VA) of 20/100‐20/20, 12 patients with exsudative AMD (VA: 20/100‐20/25) and 45 age‐matched healthy eyes (VA: 20/32‐20/20) were included. Results CFF decreased in eyes with non exsudative AMD (red 1,6Hz p=0,01, green 1,6 Hz p=0,04, blue 2,1 Hz p=0,01). The difference between central and peripher CFF increased (red‐red 10°, 1,0 Hz p=0,01). Differences between different colours were low and reached no significance. In eyes with exsudative AMD CFF showed lower values (red 2.2 Hz p=0.02, green 3.3 Hz p=0.001, blue 2,9 Hz p=0.02, but in spite of increased difference between central and peripher CFF had no statistical significance. (red‐red 10° , 1,3 Hz p=0,25). Eyes with exsudative AMD showed a 1.0 Hz (p=0.02) higher difference between CFF with a red and a green signal than healthy eyes. Sub‐group analysis of patients with non exsudative AMD and visual acuity better than 20/32 (n=20) and healthy eyes showed no difference. Patients with non exsudative (n=13) and eyes with exsudative AMD (n=7) and VA between 20/200 and 20/40 reached equal CFF values. Conclusion CFF was decreased in non exsudative and exsudative AMD. The difference between central and peripher CFF increased in exsudative and nonexsudative AMD. Exsudative AMD has a stronger impact on a green than on a red signal. CFF is not able to distinguish between groups of equal visual acuity and therefore not applicable as a diagnostic test.