Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Vol 38, 1819-1824, Copyright © 1997 by Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

ARTICLES AND REPORTS

Contrast sensitivity loss is coupled with capillary dropout in patients with diabetes

O Arend, A Remky, D Evans, R Stuber and A Harris
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical School of the Technical University of Aachen, Germany.

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship of foveal microcirculation to contrast sensitivity function in early diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Twenty patients with diabetes with visual acuity of 20/25 or better without clinically significant macular edema were evaluated. Measurements of contrast sensitivity at four spatial frequencies (3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles/degree [c/deg]), macular capillary blood velocity (CBV), capillary density (PIA: perifoveal intercapillary area), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and microaneurysm count were performed. Contrast sensitivity data collected from age-matched normal subjects and previously published normal angiographic data were used for comparison with our cohort with diabetes. RESULTS: The CBV was significantly reduced (P < 0.0001) and PIA and FAZ were significantly enlarged (P < 0.0001) when compared with healthy subjects. Contrast sensitivity was significantly lower in the group with diabetes at 6 (P = 0.01) and 12 (P = 0.002) c/deg as compared with healthy control values. FAZ and PIA correlated significantly (FAZ; r = -0.60, P = 0.005; PIA; r = -0.54, P = 0.02) with contrast sensitivity at 12 c/deg. CONCLUSIONS: The alterations of the perifoveal network are related to selective disturbances of central visual function as measured by contrast sensitivity. In patients with diabetes measurement of contrast sensitivity may provide a clinical adjunct in further identifying early ischemic diabetic maculopathy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K Pesudovs, C A Hazel, R M L Doran, and D B Elliott The usefulness of Vistech and FACT contrast sensitivity charts for cataract and refractive surgery outcomes research Br. J. Ophthalmol., January 1, 2004; 88(1): 11 - 16. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. T. Goldenberg, G. N. Holland, W. G. Cumberland, T. C. Fisher, I.-C. Folz, R. C. Wang, B. G. Terry, A. A. Moe, F. Kramer, J. I. Lim, et al. An Assessment of Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Rigidity in HIV-Infected Individuals after Immune Recovery Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., June 1, 2002; 43(6): 1857 - 1861. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. P Davies and A. B Morland The Hermann-Hering grid illusion demonstrates disruption of lateral inhibition processing in diabetes mellitus Br. J. Ophthalmol., February 1, 2002; 86(2): 203 - 208. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L Hosking, D. W Evans, S. J Embleton, B. Houde, J. F Amos, and J. D Bartlett Hypercapnia invokes an acute loss of contrast sensitivity in untreated glaucoma patients Br. J. Ophthalmol., November 1, 2001; 85(11): 1352 - 1356. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O Arend, M Rüffer, and A Remky Macular circulation in patients with diabetes mellitus with and without arterial hypertension Br. J. Ophthalmol., December 1, 2000; 84(12): 1392 - 1396. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Tufail, G. N Holland, T. C Fisher, W. G Cumberland, and H. J Meiselman Increased polymorphonuclear leucocyte rigidity in HIV infected individuals Br. J. Ophthalmol., July 1, 2000; 84(7): 727 - 731. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Remky, O. Arend, and S. Hendricks Short-Wavelength Automated Perimetry and Capillary Density in Early Diabetic Maculopathy Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., January 1, 2000; 41(1): 274 - 281. [Abstract] [Full Text]