The Pattern Glare Test: a review and determination of normative values

Area of Science:

• Optometry and Vision Science
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Pattern glare involves visual perceptual distortions and stress when viewing striped patterns.
• Individuals with migraine or Meares-Irlen syndrome are particularly susceptible to pattern glare.
• The Wilkins and Evans Pattern Glare Test assesses these visual disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish clinical norms for the Wilkins and Evans Pattern Glare Test.
• To quantify pattern glare using specific spatial frequencies (0.5, 3, and 12 cycles per degree).
• To investigate the relationship between pattern glare and migraine.

Main Methods:

• Developed clinical norms by testing 100 optometrist patients, calculating the 95th percentile for normal ranges.
• Quantified pattern glare using the number of distortions on the 3 cpd grating and the '3-12 cpd difference'.
• Compared migraine patients with a control group to assess differences in pattern glare scores.

Main Results:

• Normal ranges were established: <4 distortions for the 3 cpd grating and <2 for the 3-12 cpd difference.
• Migraine patients reported significantly more visual symptoms, particularly with the 3 cpd grating.
• The 3-12 cpd difference was the most significant variable distinguishing migraine patients from controls.

Conclusions:

• Abnormal pattern glare is defined by a score >3 on the 3 cpd grating or >1 on the 3-12 cpd difference.
• Individuals with abnormal pattern glare may experience visual stress and could benefit from interventions like precision tinted lenses.