Contrast sensitivity in amblyopia. I. Changes during CAM treatment

Contrast sensitivity of 29 children (mean age 8 years) was measured at the beginning, at the end, and during the follow-up of CAM treatment. The deficiency in contrast sensitivity of amblyopic eyes was most notable at high spatial frequencies, but in some cases it also occurred at intermediate and low spatial frequencies. Individually no distinct association was noticed between various CSF-types and different groups of amblyopia, but on average in anisometropia the deficiency at low spatial frequencies was more pronounced than in purely strabismic cases. During treatment contrast sensitivity improved significantly, most notable at high frequencies. Correlation between visual acuity and contrast sensitivity was poor. During follow-up visual acuity deteriorated in most cases, but contrast sensitivity remained on the level where it was at the end of the treatment. Our modification of measuring contrast sensitivity was tested in two samples of normal subjects. Between 1-11 c/deg contrast sensitivity was statistically significantly better in the adults (n = 25) than in the children (n = 20).