Low luminance deficit and night vision symptoms in intermediate age-related macular degeneration. Issue 3 (6th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Zhichao; Guymer, Robyn H; Finger, Robert P
• Is Part Of: British journal of ophthalmology. Volume 100:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 395
• Page End: 398
• Publication Date: 2015-08-06
• Subjects: Macula -- Degeneration -- Retina -- Vision -- Psychophysics; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 617.7
• DOI: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2015-306621
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1161

Abstract

Abstract : Background/aims: To determine the relationship between self-reported visual difficulties under low luminance conditions (night vision symptoms) and visual function measures in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: One hundred participants with bilateral intermediate AMD were examined in a prospective cross-sectional study with visual function measures including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), low luminance visual acuity (LLVA) and microperimetry in both eyes. A 10-item Night Vision Questionnaire (NVQ-10) was then used to determine the degree of self-reported night vision symptoms experienced by each participant. For analyses, low luminance deficit (LLD) was derived as the difference between LLVA and BCVA, and microperimetric mean sensitivity (MS; all points) and central sensitivity (CS; points within the central 1°) were determined. Rasch analysis was used to estimate the person measure of night vision symptoms, and its relationship with visual function parameters was determined. Results: NVQ-10 person measures were significantly associated with LLD (β coefficient=0.067, 95% CI 0.005 to 0.130, p=0.034), but not BCVA, LLVA, microperimetric MS or CS (p≥0.090). Participants with the highest degree of self-reported night vision symptoms (fourth quartile of person measure) had significantly worse LLD than those with the least difficulty (first quartile of person measure; p=0.019). Conclusions: In individuals with bilateral intermediate AMD, LLD was associated with self-reported night vision symptoms, suggesting that this measure may better capture the visual difficulties experienced by these individuals under low luminance conditions than the conventional measure of photopic visual acuity.