The effect of blur adaptation on accommodative response and pupil size during reading

To study the effect of blur adaptation on accommodative variability, accommodative responses and pupil diameters in myopes (n = 22) and emmetropes (n = 19) were continuously measured before, during, and after exposure to defocus blur. Accommodative and pupillary response measurements were made by an autorefractor during a monocular reading exercise. The text was presented on a computer screen at 33 cm viewing distance with a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm. After baseline testing and a 5-min rest, blur was induced by wearing either an optimally refractive lens, or a +1.0 DS or a +3.0 DS defocus lens. Responses were continuously measured during a 5-min period of adaptation. The lens was then removed, and measurements were again made during a 5-min post-adaptation period. After a second 5-min rest, a final post-adaptation period was measured. No significant change of baseline accommodative responses was found after the 5-min period of adaptation to the blurring lenses (p > 0.05). Compared to the pre-adaptation level, both refractive groups had similar and significant increases in accommodative variability right after blur adaptation to both defocus lenses. After the second rest period, the accommodative variability in both groups returned to the pre-adaptation level. The results indicate that blur adaptation has a short-term effect on the accommodative system to elevate instability of the accommodative response. Mechanisms underlying the increase in accommodative variability by blur adaptation and possible influences of the accommodation stability on myopia development were discussed.