[Low contrast non-color vision in patients with multiple sclerosis]

Vision impairment is one of the most typical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS). This pathology develops due to the lesions of optic nerves and optic tracts in the brain or eye movement dysfunction. Low contrast vision impairment is very frequent and early detected. We assessed low contrast non-color vision in patients with MS.

We examined 56 MS patients and 33 healthy controls. Computed optometric testing was used (grey-colored digits of the standard size were shown against the background of the different shade of grey on the computer monitor).

The results demonstrated low-contrast vision dysfunction while high-contrast vision remained intact. The level of low-contrast vision in MS patients differed significantly from that in the controls. The higher severity of visual disturbances was identified during high illumination. The direct correlation between the degree of low-contrast vision dysfunction and the level of disability on EDSS was found.