Visual sensitivity and age-related eye diseases. The Beaver Dam Eye Study

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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the relationships between visual sensitivity and age-related ocular disorders. Design: Prevalence survey of age-related eye diseases. Setting: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Participants: A total community sample of persons 43–84 at the time of the census (1987–1988) was invited to participate (n = 5,926). Main Outcome Measure: Visual sensitivity was measured by a perimeter. Sensitivities were evaluated with regard to age, sex and age-related eye diseases. Results: Sensitivity was inversely associated with age and was lower in women in each age stratum. Central cataract, cataract surgery, and late age-related maculopathy were significantly related to decreased sensitivity in multivariate analyses. Conclusions: Visual sensitivity, an indication of the ability of the eye to detect a light stimulus, was diminished in those with central cataract, cataract surgery, and late age-related maculopathy. This may be related to diminished vision in environmental conditions of low illumination. Since visual sensitivity is relatively easy to determine, this test may have use as a surrogate to assess functional vision loss. Also, although cataract surgery often leads to improved high contrast acuity, there may be a loss in low contrast settings.