Measuring Contrast Sensitivity Function With Active Learning in Retinal Vein Occlusion: A New Endpoint of Visual Function.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To characterize contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) compared to age-matched controls using novel computerized contrast sensitivity (CS) testing with active learning algorithms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: CSF was prospectively measured in RVO patients with visual acuity (VA) greater than 20/200 and age-matched controls using the novel Manifold Contrast Vision Meter implementing quantitative CSF testing. Outcomes included area under the Log CSF (AULCSF), contrast acuity (CA), and CS thresholds at 1, 1.5, 3, 12, and 18 cycles per degree (cpd). A sub-analysis was performed on RVO eyes with good acuity (VA ≥ 20/30). RESULTS: Twenty-two eyes with RVO and 63 control eyes were included. Mean AULCSF (± standard deviation) in RVO eyes was 0.817 (0.28) compared to 1.217 (0.28) in controls (P < .0001). Mean contrast acuity in the RVO group was 1.054 (0.19) versus 1.286 ± 0.16 in controls (P < .0001). For individual spatial frequencies, CS loss at 6.0 cpd was most prominent in the RVO group. In 10 RVO eyes with VA of 20/30 or greater, mean AULCSF was 0.978 versus 1.217 in control eyes. (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: CSF in eyes with RVO was found to be significantly reduced compared to age-matched controls. CSF seems to be a promising visual function endpoint with potential applications in clinical practice and future clinical trials. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51392-400.].