Shahina Pardhan

The effect of monocular defocus on binocular contrast sensitivity

The monocular contrast sensitivity loss with defocus is well known. We measured binocular contrast sensitivity of sinewave gratings of 6 c/deg in the presence of different levels of monocular defocus. In the absence of defocus, the binocular sensitivity was about 42% higher than monocular. With increasing monocular defocus, the binocular sensitivity decreased steadily until it reached a level below the monocular, showing binocular inhibition. The clinical implications of binocular inhibition with monocular defocus are discussed.

Binocular contrast summation and inhibition in amblyopia

The monocular contrast sensitivity loss in amblyopia is well documented. We investigated the influence of interocular sensitivity difference on binocular contrast sensitivity in amblyopia. Monocular and binocular contrast sensitivity functions of six amblyopes (three strabismic and three anisometropic) were measured. The monocular contrast sensitivity loss depended on the type of amblyope. Anisometropic amblyopes generally showed high frequency losses. Strabismic amblyopes showed losses at both low and high spatial frequencies. Binocular performance was assessed in terms of binocular ratios (binocular/non-amblyopic). A binocular ratio greater than 1 indicates binocular summation (binocular > monocular) while a ratio less than 1 shows binocular inhibition (binocular < monocular). In all subjects, the binocular ratio depended on the difference between the amblyopic and the non-amblyopic eye. Minimal interocular difference produced binocular summation, the magnitude of which decreased as the difference between the two eyes increased. Further increases in the monocular difference produced binocular inhibition. Anisometropic amblyopes showed a greater degree of binocular summation at low spatial frequencies compared to strabismic amblyopes. Both types of amblyopes showed binocular inhibition at high spatial frequencies. Clinical implications of binocular summation and inhibition in amblyopia are discussed.

BINOCULAR CONTRAST DETECTION WITH UNEQUAL MONOCULAR ILLUMINANCE

Abstract— Binocular summation was measured in eight normal subjects by means of psychometric functions for contrast detection. An average 47% increase in binocular over monocular performance was obtained. Our data agreed with the simple summation model of Signal Detection Theory (Legge, 1984). Binocular psychometric functions were also measured when the sensitivity of one eye was decreased by means of a 1.0 neutral density (ND) filter. We found that binocular detectability in this case was reduced to below that of the better eye. This binocular inhibition was seen in all subjects. The slope of a contrast detection function gives a measure of the rate of change in detectability with contrast. If the slopes of two functions are equal, then the difference in detectability between these functions remains constant for all the contrast values used. When the slopes of the measured functions were analysed, no significant differences were found under any of the testing conditions. This indicates that the magnitude of summation (with equal monocular sensitivities), and of inhibition (with unequal monocular sensitivities), remains constant across the range of stimulus contrasts. The clinical implications of binocular inhibition are discussed.

Binocular contrast sensitivity with monocular glare disability

Glare disability plays an important part in the investigation and assessment of cataract. We investigated the effect of monocular glare disability on binocular contrast sensitivity. The magnitude of binocular summation was measured at different degrees of monocular glare disability. In the absence of glare, maximum binocular summation was shown. With increasing glare disability, the degree of binocular summation decreased steadily until binocular inhibition was produced. Binocular inhibition is defined as a reduction in binocular sensitivity to reach a level below the monocular. The clinical implications of binocular inhibition with monocular glare disability are discussed.

Fixation disparity and near visual acuity.

Twenty patients having associated heterophoria values of 2 delta and greater, as recorded with a Mallett unit, had their near monocular and binocular visual acuities measured. In the latter case, measurements were taken both with the associated heterophoria corrected by prisms and without prism correction. Bradford Near Vision charts, specially designed to measure visual acuity at near in seconds of arc, were used in the acuity measurement. The improvement of binocular acuity compared with monocular acuity was less than would occur in normal subjects without associated heterophorias. When the associated heterophorias were corrected with prisms the improvement in binocular over monocular acuity was similar to that found in normal subjects, with zero associated heterophoria readings.

The effect of spatial frequency on binocular contrast inhibition

Previous work has shown that binocular contrast summation, obtained with equal monocular sensitivities, remains constant over a range of spatial frequencies. We measured binocular contrast detection with a log 1.00 ND filter placed in front of one eye. For all eight subjects, the binocular contrast detection decreased to a level below that of the monocular detection, demonstrating a contrast analogy to Fechners paradox. The degree of binocular inhibition, like summation, remained constant across the range of spatial frequencies.

Binocular and Monocular Detection of Gabor Patches in Binocular Two-Dimensional Noise

Contrast thresholds for detecting sine-wave Gabor patches in two-dimensional externally added random-pixel noise were measured. Thresholds were obtained for monocular and binocular signals in the presence of spatial correlated (identical) and uncorrelated (independent) noise in the two eyes. Measurements were obtained at four different spectral densities of noise (including zero). Thresholds were higher for monocular stimuli than for binocular, and higher in the presence of correlated noise compared to uncorrelated noise. The magnitude of binocular summation, similar in correlated and uncorrelated noise, decreased with increasing noise strength. The independent contributions of internal noise and sampling efficiency to detection were analysed. Sampling efficiencies were higher for binocular than for monocular viewing for both types of noise, with values being higher with uncorrelated noise. Binocular stimuli showed a lower equivalent noise level compared to the mean monocular case for both types of noise.

Binocular summation to gratings in the peripheral field in older subjects is spatial frequency dependent

Purpose. Binocular summation for contrast detection in the fovea is lower in older normal subjects. At present, no binocular summation data exist for contrast detection in older subjects in the peripheral field. Methods. Monocular and binocular contrast thresholds were measured for sine-wave gratings of 1 c/deg (F1) and 4 c/deg (F4) in the fovea in young and older visually normal subjects. Measurements were also obtained at 8 degrees in the superior field for gratings of 1 c/deg (P1) and 4 c/deg (P4). Results. Binocular summation ratios in young subjects at the fovea and periphery were not statistically different at either spatial frequency. In older subjects, analysis of the relevant conditions showed significantly lower summation ratios for: P4/F4 combination (p = 0.05), and P4/P1 combination (p = 0.03). No significant differences existed for F1/P1 and F1/F4 combinations (p > 0.05). Conclusions. Lowest binocular summation ratio is shown with older subjects for gratings of 4 c/deg in the periphery (P4). Further analysis suggests the possibility that this is due to a larger relative loss in binocular sensitivity. Data are discussed in terms of selective loss of binocular neurons mediating peripheral sensitivity in the ageing eye.

Crowding in visually impaired patients: contour interaction and/or gaze-selection defects?

Visual crowding, defined as a lower line acuity compared to single-letter acuity, was investigated in 18 visually impaired patients. The separate effects of contour interactions and gaze-selection defects were investigated using a line-acuity test, a single-letter acuity test, and the Regan repeat-letter test. The limits of normality were established from data collected on 25 age-matched normals. In the visually impaired group, 83% of the patients showed visual crowding. When dividing the group into the other two categories, 39% of patients showed gaze-selection problems and 56% demonstrated abnormal contour interactions. Only 5% of the patients showed no effect of contour interactions or gaze-selection defect. These results have important implications for the visual rehabilitation of such patients.

Comparison of non-stereo polaroids and slides in detection of diabetic retinopathy

Abstract Fundus photography plays an important role in detection and assessment of diabetic retinopathy. This study compared the detectability of diabetic retinopathy lesions on Polaroid prints and Ektachrome slides obtained with a non‐mydriatic camera. The number of lesions detected with Ektachrome slides was higher compared to Polaroids. The method of viewing the Ektrach‐rome slides was also shown to be important. Slides when projected onto a white screen revealed a higher number of lesions compared to the same slide viewed through a macroscope. If a non‐mydriatic camera is used to screen diabetic retinopathy, judgement from a projected Ectrachrome slide is recommended