Contrast sensitivity functions in the normal eyes of amblyopia

Objective: To evaluate the contrast sensitivity functions in good eyes of strabismic and anisometropic amblyopic subjects. Material and methods: Contrast sensitivity was assessed on both eyes of 20 strabismic, 20 anisometropic amblyopic and 10 normal control patients. Contrast sensitivity was measured with Functional Acuity Contrast Test. Correlation analysis and student t test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Mean age was 8,9 in strabismic ambliyopes 8,7 in anisometropic ambliyopes and 12,3 in control group (p>0,05). Mean corrected visual acuity for amblyopic eyes was 0,46 in strabismic ambliyopes and 0,41 in anisometropic ambliyopes (p>0,05). Contrast sensitivity functions from good eyes demonstrated lower values compared with control patients (p>0,05). While normal contrast sensitivity function in low spatial frequencies on good eyes was measured, decreased contrast sensitivity values in high spatial frequencies on good eyes were measured in 50% (10 cases) of strabismic amblyopes and 70% (14 cases) of anisometropic amblyopes (p>0,05). Conclusion: We conclude that the good eye is not normal and there was no statistically significant difference in contrast sensitivity values between strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes. We believe in that the assessment of contrast sensitivity functions can provide important information on the visual function and can be useful in follow-up of amblyopic patients.