Effects of COVID-19 on the contrast sensitivity

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• COVID-19 has known systemic effects, but its impact on visual function remains under-explored.
• Contrast sensitivity function (CSF) is a key measure of visual performance, assessing the ability to discern subtle variations in luminance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between a history of COVID-19 and contrast sensitivity function (CSF) across various spatial frequencies.
• To determine if COVID-19 infection alters visual processing capabilities.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 30 adults (15 with COVID-19 history, 15 without) aged 18-49 years were recruited.
• Contrast sensitivity function (CSF) was measured using Metropsis software and vertical sine-wave gratings (0.2-19.8 cycles per degree).

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in CSF were observed in individuals with a COVID-19 history at spatial frequencies of 6.1, 13.2, 15.9, and 19.8 cycles per degree.
• These findings indicate a diminished ability to detect high spatial frequencies post-COVID-19.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 infection appears to alter the visual system's functioning.
• The observed decrease in CSF suggests that COVID-19 may affect neural mechanisms responsible for processing high spatial frequencies, requiring higher contrast for detection.