The effect of optical blur (defocus) on edge contrast sensitivity was studied. Edge contrast sensitivity detoriates with fairly small amounts of blur (approximately 0.5 D) and is roughly reduced by half for each dioptre of blur. The effect of blur on edge contrast sensitivity equals the effect of blur on sine wave contrast sensitivity for a spatial frequency of approximately 3 cpd.

Purpose To evaluate the influence of multifocal intraocular lenses (MFIOLs) on standard automated perimetry (SAP) and size V perimetry test results. Methods Sixteen eyes of 16 patients with a diffractive MFIOL (median age 64 years) and 45 phakic eyes of 45 healthy subjects (median age 49 years) were included in this cross‐sectional case‐control study. All eyes underwent (1) SAP with the Humphrey Field Analyzer using a 30‐2 grid and the Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm standard strategy and (2) a full threshold test with stimulus size V (instead of the default size III). Our Main Outcome Measures were the mean deviation (MD; for SAP) and mean sensitivity (MS; for both SAP and size V perimetry). Results The MD of the SAP test results was on average 2.18 dB lower in MFIOL patients than in controls (P<0.001). For all 16 cases and an age‐matched subgroup of 18 controls, this difference was 2.05 dB (P=0.001). The age‐adjusted difference in MS between cases and controls was ‐2.34 dB (P<0.001). For size V perimetry, this was ‐1.67 dB (P<0.001). For a subset of test locations within 10 degree eccentricity, the age‐adjusted difference in MS between cases and controls was ‐2.35 dB for size III (P<0.001) and ‐1.96 dB for size V perimetry (P<0.001). Conclusion Patients with a diffractive MFIOL have a clinically relevant reduction of the visual sensitivity as assessed with SAP and size V perimetry.

Purpose To identify causes of visual acuity loss in open angle‐glaucoma (OAG) patients and to determine associated risk factors. Methods From the visual field database of the University Medical Center Groningen, 400 patients with at least 3 reliable visual fields were randomly selected. Of these, 233 had OAG. OAG patients with a visual acuity of 0.5 or less in at least one eye were considered as cases; controls had to have a visual acuity above 0.5 in both eyes. Causes of visual acuity loss were determined from the medical records. Potential risk factors for visual acuity loss in OAG (age, gender, myopia, baseline IOP, corneal thickness, and visual field mean deviation [MD]) were assessed by comparing cases with acuity loss due to OAG with the controls, using logistic regression. Results Of the 233 patients with OAG, 134 (57%) were cases and 99 (43%) controls. Concerning the cases, visual acuity loss was caused by OAG in 40%, cataract 17%, AMD 14%, vitreo‐retinal surgery 10%, corneal pathology 4.5%, acquired retinal disorders 10%, and neuro‐ophthalmological disorders 4.5%. Among the assessed risk factors, cases had a lower MD (OR=0.90; P<0.001) and a higher age (OR=1.05; P=0.015). Conclusion Visual acuity loss in OAG is common but mostly due to other eye co‐morbidities. A lower MD and an older age were highly significant risk factors.

OBJECTIVE:Complete neurocognitive recovery after eclampsia has been questioned with the expression of neurocognitive deficits by affected women and demonstration of cerebral white matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging years after eclampsia. We hypothesized that formerly eclamptic women may experience impaired vision-related quality of life (QOL) and visual field loss as a result of the presence of such lesions in the cerebral visual areas. METHODS:Using the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-39/Nederlands questionnaire, visionrelated QOL was compared between formerly eclamptic women and control participants after normotensive pregnancies. Furthermore, in formerly eclamptic women, visual fields were assessed using automated perimetry, and presence of white matter lesions was evaluated using cerebral magnetic resonance imaging. Presence of a relationship between these lesions and National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-39/Nederlands scores was estimated.