Open AccessQuantifying Color Vision Changes Associated With Cataracts Using Cone Contrast Thresholds
Author(s) -
Urmi Mehta,
Anna Diep,
Kevin Nguyen,
Bryan Le,
Clara Yuh,
Caroline Frambach,
John Doan,
Ang Wei,
Anton M. Palma,
Marjan Farid,
Sumit Garg,
Sanjay Kedhar,
Matthew Wade,
Kailey Marshall,
Kimberly A. Jameson,
M. Cristina Kenney,
Andrew Browne
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
translational vision science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 21
ISSN - 2164-2591
DOI - 10.1167/tvst.9.12.11
Subject(s) - medicine , ophthalmology , contrast (vision) , confidence interval , visual acuity , cataract surgery , mydriasis , cataracts , color vision , optometry , optics , physics
Purpose To evaluate effects of age and simulated and real cataractous changes on color vision as measured by the high-definition cone contrast test (CCT). Methods Twenty-four healthy volunteers from two cohort studies performed CCT using best-corrected visual acuity, filters, mydriasis, and pinhole correction. Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients seen in eye clinics evaluated the relationship between age and color vision, and age and lens status in 355 eyes. Last, 25 subjects underwent CCT before and after cataract surgery. Results CCT scores were most reliable in the nonmydriatic condition without pinhole correction. Progressively dense brown filters produced small decreases in S-cone sensitivity. Linear regression analysis of phakic subjects showed a decline for all cone classes with age. Rate of decline was greater for S-cones (slope = −1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.30 to 0.86) than M-cones (slope = −0.80; 95% CI, −1.03 to −0.58) and L-cones (slope = −0.66; 95% CI, −0.88 to −0.44). CCT scores increased for S-cones but reduced for L- and M-cones in pseudophakic subjects compared with phakic patients. CCT scores after cataract surgery increased for S-cones, M-cones, and L-cones by 33.0 (95% CI, 8.6 to 57.4), 24.9 (95% CI, 3.8 to 46.0), and 22.0 (95% CI, −3.2 to 47.3), respectively. Conclusions CCT assessment allows for clinically practical quantitation of color and contrast vision improvement after cataract surgery and aging patients who note poor vision despite good visual acuity. Translational Relevance CCT testing, which quantifies hereditary and acquired color deficiency, can also quantify the degree of cataract severity and, combined with other parameters, can provide more precise guidance for cataract extraction to optimize patient care.