[Specificity of functional changes of visual system at the early stage of involutional central chorioretinal...

Involutional central chorioretinal dystrophy (ICCD) represents a disease of central zone of the retina in the persons of elderly and senile age that is characterized by bilateral affection and is one of the most widespread reasons for sight inability all over the world. The purpose of our research was to reveal specific symptoms of functional disturbance of the visual system at the early stage of ICCD. Clinical studies were based on the analysis of results 75 patients (142 eyes), at the age from 50 to 70 years with visual acuity 0.7-1.0., with "firm" drusen in 44 eyes, "soft" drusen in 51 eyes, "soft confluent" drusen in 47 eyes. Along with the routine ophtalmological methods of investigation, the psychophysical methods were used in order to study spatial contrast sensitivity (SCS) and color contrast sensitivity ("ON-OFF"). Specific functional changes of visual system at an early stage of ICCD are characterized by a reduction of spatial localization, infringement of topography of color and on-off contrast sensitivity. Possible explanation of the given fact is disturbance of fine exchange processes in a complex of photoreceptor-pigmentary epithelium, leading to the disturbance of the function of the retina's central cones. Thus, disturbance of spatial contrast, color and contrast sensitivity is a reliable diagnostic criterion allowing revealing the change of function of the retina's cone apparatus already at the early of ICCD.