Comparison of Central and Peripheral Contrast Sensitivity Between Healthy and Refractive Surgery Patients Using the...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Vision Science
• Refractive Surgery Outcomes

Background:

• Contrast sensitivity is crucial for visual function.
• Assessing visual quality after refractive surgery is important for patient outcomes.
• Newer diagnostic tools are needed to evaluate subtle visual changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate contrast sensitivity using the internet-based Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) test.
• To compare vision in patients after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) with controls.
• To assess both central and peripheral vision post-refractive surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 186 eyes from 93 patients (31 per group: PRK, FS-LASIK, controls).
• SPARCS test administered to measure contrast sensitivity in central and four peripheral visual fields.
• Multivariate and mixed linear regression models used for statistical comparison, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

• PRK group showed significantly lower total (5.9 points), central (1.6 points), and peripheral (5.5 points) SPARCS scores compared to controls.
• FS-LASIK group exhibited non-statistically significant lower scores across all categories compared to the control group.
• Significant decreases in contrast sensitivity were observed post-PRK.

Conclusions:

• Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) leads to a demonstrable decrease in both central and peripheral contrast sensitivity.
• FS-LASIK did not show a statistically significant impact on contrast sensitivity in this study.
• The SPARCS test is a viable tool for assessing contrast sensitivity after refractive surgery.