U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Reduced contrast sensitivity

MedGen UID:
1671089
•Concept ID:
C4732816
•
Finding
Synonym: Abnormal contrast sensitivity
 
HPO: HP:0032036

Definition

An abnormality in perception of contrast. Spatial contrast is a physical dimension referring to the light-dark transition of a border or an edge in an image that delineates the existence of a pattern or an object. Contrast sensitivity refers to a measure of how much contrast a person requires to see a target. Contrast-sensitivity measurements differ from acuity measurements; acuity is a measure of the spatial-resolving ability of the visual system under conditions of very high contrast, whereas contrast sensitivity is a measure of the threshold contrast for seeing a target. [from HPO]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Ocular abnormalities in beta thalassemia patients: prevalence, impact, and management strategies.
Heydarian S, Jafari R, Dailami KN, Hashemi H, Jafarzadehpour E, Heirani M, Yekta A, Mahjoob M, Khabazkhoob M
Int Ophthalmol 2020 Feb;40(2):511-527. Epub 2019 Oct 10 doi: 10.1007/s10792-019-01189-3. PMID: 31602527
Screening and diagnosis of optic pathway gliomas in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 by using sweep visual evoked potentials.
Chang BC, Mirabella G, Yagev R, Banh M, Mezer E, Parkin PC, Westall CA, Buncic JR
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2007 Jun;48(6):2895-902. doi: 10.1167/iovs.06-0429. PMID: 17525226

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Long-Term Visual Outcomes in Prematurely Born Children.
Robitaille JM
J Binocul Vis Ocul Motil 2024 Jan-Mar;74(1):1-8. Epub 2023 Dec 11 PMID: 38078812
Reduced Contrast Sensitivity Function in Central and Peripheral Vision by Disability Glare.
Wu D, Liu N, Xu P, Sun K, Xiao W, Li C
Perception 2020 Dec;49(12):1348-1361. Epub 2020 Nov 2 doi: 10.1177/0301006620967641. PMID: 33131398
The effect of reduced contrast sensitivity on colour vision testing.
Lipsky L, Qureshi HM, Friling R, Gaton DD, Rabina G, Dotan G
Eye (Lond) 2019 Jul;33(7):1068-1072. Epub 2019 Feb 19 doi: 10.1038/s41433-019-0361-y. PMID: 30783257Free PMC Article
Reduced contrast sensitivity among older women is associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment.
Ward ME, Gelfand JM, Lui LY, Ou Y, Green AJ, Stone K, Pedula KL, Cummings SR, Yaffe K
Ann Neurol 2018 Apr;83(4):730-738. Epub 2018 Apr 11 doi: 10.1002/ana.25196. PMID: 29518257Free PMC Article
Myopia and contrast sensitivity function.
Liou SW, Chiu CJ
Curr Eye Res 2001 Feb;22(2):81-4. doi: 10.1076/ceyr.22.2.81.5530. PMID: 11402383

Diagnosis

SUBCLINICAL OPTIC NEURITIS.
Vidović T, Cerovski B, Popović-Suić S, Petriček I, Mišjenović Vučerić T
Acta Clin Croat 2023 Apr;62(1):208-213. doi: 10.20471/acc.2023.62.01.24. PMID: 38304362Free PMC Article
Visual Dysfunction in Diabetes.
Eggers ED
Annu Rev Vis Sci 2023 Sep 15;9:91-109. Epub 2023 May 10 doi: 10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123810. PMID: 37164027
Future Trends in Presbyopia Correction.
Mercer RN, Milliken CM, Waring GO 4th, Rocha KM
J Refract Surg 2021 Jun;37(S1):S28-S34. Epub 2021 Jun 1 doi: 10.3928/1081597X-20210408-06. PMID: 34170762
Selectively reduced contrast sensitivity in high schizotypy.
Harper L, Spencer E, Davidson C, Hutchinson CV
Exp Brain Res 2020 Jan;238(1):51-62. Epub 2019 Nov 28 doi: 10.1007/s00221-019-05695-9. PMID: 31781821Free PMC Article
Early detection of diabetic retinopathy.
Safi H, Safi S, Hafezi-Moghadam A, Ahmadieh H
Surv Ophthalmol 2018 Sep-Oct;63(5):601-608. Epub 2018 Apr 19 doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2018.04.003. PMID: 29679616

Therapy

Higher susceptibility to central crowding in glaucoma.
Blanckaert E, Rouland JF, Davost T, Warniez A, Boucart M
Clin Exp Optom 2024 Mar;107(2):227-233. Epub 2022 Oct 2 doi: 10.1080/08164622.2022.2124848. PMID: 36183782
Visual Performance with Spherical and Multifocal Contact Lenses in a Pediatric Population.
Bickle KM, Mitchell GL, Walline JJ
Optom Vis Sci 2021 May 1;98(5):483-489. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001695. PMID: 33967252
Multifocal versus monofocal intraocular lenses after cataract extraction.
Calladine D, Evans JR, Shah S, Leyland M
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012 Sep 12;(9):CD003169. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003169.pub3. PMID: 22972061
Visual risk factors for falls in older people.
Lord SR
Age Ageing 2006 Sep;35 Suppl 2:ii42-ii45. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afl085. PMID: 16926203
Contrast sensitivity and glare in patients with a diffractive multifocal intraocular lens.
Winther-Nielsen A, Corydon L, Olsen T
J Cataract Refract Surg 1993 Mar;19(2):254-7. doi: 10.1016/s0886-3350(13)80952-2. PMID: 8487170

Prognosis

Clinical, Morphological, and Optical Correlates of Visual Function in Patients With Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy.
Okumura N, Padmanaban V, Balaji JJ, Srinivasan B, Hanada N, Komori Y, Yoshii K, Srinivas SP, Koizumi N, Padmanabhan P
Cornea 2022 Feb 1;41(2):171-176. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000002814. PMID: 34369393
Determinants of concern about falling in adults with age-related macular degeneration.
White UE, Black AA, Delbaere K, Wood JM
Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2021 Mar;41(2):245-254. Epub 2020 Dec 25 doi: 10.1111/opo.12777. PMID: 33368495
The effect of reduced contrast sensitivity on colour vision testing.
Lipsky L, Qureshi HM, Friling R, Gaton DD, Rabina G, Dotan G
Eye (Lond) 2019 Jul;33(7):1068-1072. Epub 2019 Feb 19 doi: 10.1038/s41433-019-0361-y. PMID: 30783257Free PMC Article
Relationship between contrast sensitivity and metabolic control in diabetics with and without retinopathy.
Verrotti A, Lobefalo L, Petitti MT, Mastropasqua L, Morgese G, Chiarelli F, Gallenga PE
Ann Med 1998 Aug;30(4):369-74. doi: 10.3109/07853899809029936. PMID: 9783835
Contrast sensitivity and glare in patients with a diffractive multifocal intraocular lens.
Winther-Nielsen A, Corydon L, Olsen T
J Cataract Refract Surg 1993 Mar;19(2):254-7. doi: 10.1016/s0886-3350(13)80952-2. PMID: 8487170

Clinical prediction guides

Longitudinal Impact of Vision Impairment on Concern About Falling in People With Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
White UE, Black AA, Delbaere K, Wood JM
Transl Vis Sci Technol 2022 Jan 3;11(1):34. doi: 10.1167/tvst.11.1.34. PMID: 35077531Free PMC Article
Disorganisation of retinal inner layers is associated with reduced contrast sensitivity in retinal vein occlusion.
Wang J, Cui Y, Vingopoulos F, Kasetty M, Silverman RF, Katz R, Kim L, Miller JB
Br J Ophthalmol 2022 Feb;106(2):241-245. Epub 2020 Nov 10 doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-317615. PMID: 33172863
Reduced Contrast Sensitivity Function in Central and Peripheral Vision by Disability Glare.
Wu D, Liu N, Xu P, Sun K, Xiao W, Li C
Perception 2020 Dec;49(12):1348-1361. Epub 2020 Nov 2 doi: 10.1177/0301006620967641. PMID: 33131398
Selectively reduced contrast sensitivity in high schizotypy.
Harper L, Spencer E, Davidson C, Hutchinson CV
Exp Brain Res 2020 Jan;238(1):51-62. Epub 2019 Nov 28 doi: 10.1007/s00221-019-05695-9. PMID: 31781821Free PMC Article
Effects of temporal frequency on binocular deficits in amblyopia.
Kosovicheva A, Ferreira A, Vera-Diaz FA, Bex PJ
Vision Res 2019 Oct;163:52-62. Epub 2019 Aug 29 doi: 10.1016/j.visres.2019.08.004. PMID: 31404553Free PMC Article

Recent systematic reviews

Associations between vision impairment and vision-related interventions on crash risk and driving cessation: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Nguyen H, Di Tanna GL, Coxon K, Brown J, Ren K, Ramke J, Burton MJ, Gordon I, Zhang JH, Furtado J, Mdala S, Kitema GF, Keay L
BMJ Open 2023 Aug 11;13(8):e065210. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065210. PMID: 37567751Free PMC Article
Association between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and vision problems. A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Perna J, Bellato A, Ganapathy PS, Solmi M, Zampieri A, Faraone SV, Cortese S
Mol Psychiatry 2023 Dec;28(12):5011-5023. Epub 2023 Jul 26 doi: 10.1038/s41380-023-02143-7. PMID: 37495888
Determinants of concern about falling in adults with age-related macular degeneration.
White UE, Black AA, Delbaere K, Wood JM
Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2021 Mar;41(2):245-254. Epub 2020 Dec 25 doi: 10.1111/opo.12777. PMID: 33368495
Patient-centered and visual quality outcomes of premium cataract surgery: a systematic review.
Wang SY, Stem MS, Oren G, Shtein R, Lichter PR
Eur J Ophthalmol 2017 Jun 26;27(4):387-401. Epub 2017 Apr 24 doi: 10.5301/ejo.5000978. PMID: 28574135
Multifocal versus monofocal intraocular lenses after cataract extraction.
Calladine D, Evans JR, Shah S, Leyland M
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012 Sep 12;(9):CD003169. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003169.pub3. PMID: 22972061

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Clinical resources

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.
    • Bookshelf
      See practice and clinical guidelines in NCBI Bookshelf. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Consumer resources

    Reviews

    Related information

    • PMC Articles
      Related information in PubMed Central Links
    • PubMed
      Related literature resources in PubMed

    Recent activity

    Clear Turn Off Turn On

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...