Skip to main content
The British Journal of Ophthalmology logoLink to The British Journal of Ophthalmology
. 1985 Jan;69(1):51–56. doi: 10.1136/bjo.69.1.51

Effect of age on contrast sensitivity function: uniocular and binocular findings.

J E Ross, D D Clarke, A J Bron
PMCID: PMC1040522  PMID: 3965028

Abstract

Monocular and binocular contrast sensitivity function for a range of spatial frequencies was measured in two groups of subjects with normal vision. Statistically significant differences in performance between the younger group (age 20-30 years) and the older group (age 50-87 years) were found at all spatial frequencies sampled between 0.40 and 19 X 25 cpd. In the age range 50-87 years there was a linear decline in contrast sensitivity with age for medium and high spatial frequencies, but sensitivity for low spatial frequencies was independent of age.

Full text

PDF
51

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arden G. B., Jacobson J. J. A simple grating test for contrast sensitivity: preliminary results indicate value in screening for glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1978 Jan;17(1):23–32. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arundale K. An investigation into the variation of human contrast sensitivity with age and ocular pathology. Br J Ophthalmol. 1978 Apr;62(4):213–215. doi: 10.1136/bjo.62.4.213. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Atkin A., Bodis-Wollner I., Wolkstein M., Moss A., Podos S. M. Abnormalities of central contrast sensitivity in glaucoma. Am J Ophthalmol. 1979 Aug;88(2):205–211. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(79)90467-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Banks M. S., Salapatek P. Contrast sensitivity function of the infant visual system. Vision Res. 1976;16(8):867–869. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(76)90147-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bodis-Wollner I., Diamond S. P. The measurement of spatial contrast sensitivity in cases of blurred vision associated with cerebral lesions. Brain. 1976 Dec;99(4):695–710. doi: 10.1093/brain/99.4.695. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Bodis-Wollner I., Hendley C. D., Mylin L. H., Thornton J. Visual evoked potentials and the visuogram in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 1979 Jan;5(1):40–47. doi: 10.1002/ana.410050107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. CORNSWEET T. N. The staircrase-method in psychophysics. Am J Psychol. 1962 Sep;75:485–491. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Campbell F. W., Green D. G. Optical and retinal factors affecting visual resolution. J Physiol. 1965 Dec;181(3):576–593. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007784. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Derefeldt G., Lennerstrand G., Lundh B. Age variations in normal human contrast sensitivity. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1979 Aug;57(4):679–690. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1979.tb00517.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Devaney K. O., Johnson H. A. Neuron loss in the aging visual cortex of man. J Gerontol. 1980 Nov;35(6):836–841. doi: 10.1093/geronj/35.6.836. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hess R. F. Contrast sensitivity assessment of functional amblyopia in humans. Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K. 1979;99(3):391–397. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hess R., Woo G. Vision through cataracts. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1978 May;17(5):428–435. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kulikowski J. J., Tolhurst D. J. Psychophysical evidence for sustained and transient detectors in human vision. J Physiol. 1973 Jul;232(1):149–162. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1973.sp010261. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. McGrath C., Morrison J. D. The effects of age on spatial frequency perception in human subjects. Q J Exp Physiol. 1981 Jul;66(3):253–261. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1981.sp002554. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Owsley C., Sekuler R., Boldt C. Aging and low-contrast vision: face perception. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1981 Aug;21(2):362–365. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Owsley C., Sekuler R., Siemsen D. Contrast sensitivity throughout adulthood. Vision Res. 1983;23(7):689–699. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(83)90210-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Regan D., Silver R., Murray T. J. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in multiple sclerosis--hidden visual loss: an auxiliary diagnostic test. Brain. 1977 Sep;100(3):563–579. doi: 10.1093/brain/100.3.563. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Sjöstrand J., Frisén L. Contrast sensitivity in macular disease. A preliminary report. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1977 Jun;55(3):507–514. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1977.tb06128.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Sokol S., Domar A., Moskowitz A. Utility of the Arden grating test in glaucoma screening: high false-positive rate in normals over 50 years of age. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1980 Dec;19(12):1529–1533. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Vaegan, Halliday B. L. A forced-choice test improves clinical contrast sensitivity testing. Br J Ophthalmol. 1982 Aug;66(8):477–491. doi: 10.1136/bjo.66.8.477. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Walsh D. A. Age differences in central perceptual processing: a dichoptic backward masking investigation. J Gerontol. 1976 Mar;31(2):178–185. doi: 10.1093/geronj/31.2.178. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Weale R. A. Senile changes in visual acuity. Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K. 1975 Apr;95(1):36–38. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Woodhouse J. M. The effect of pupil size on grating detection at various contrast levels. Vision Res. 1975 Jun;15(6):645–648. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(75)90278-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of Ophthalmology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES