The importance of assessing infant visual function is indicated by recent demonstrations that early visual experience in part determines the eventual state of adult visual function. It is argued that the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) could be a valuable index in the assessment of infant vision because it provides information concerning several aspects of vision. CSF's were measured in 1-,...

This study investigated how acute alcohol intake affects contrast processing mediated by inferred magnocellular (MC) and parvocellular (PC) pathways. Achromatic contrast discrimination thresholds were measured in 16 young healthy participants using a steady-pedestal, pulsed-pedestal or pedestal-Δ-pedestal paradigm designed to favor the inferred MC or the PC pathway. Each participant completed t...

Contrast sensitivity has been identified as a significant index of visual function, and as an indicator of visual disorders. The Arden test of contrast sensitivity has been recognized as a simple and easily administered technique for measurement of this process. However, the customary method of administration of this test involves manual manipulation and considerable individual subjectivity. Th...

Contrast sensitivity defines the threshold between the visible and invisible, which has obvious significance for basic and clinical vision science. Fechner's 1860 review reported that threshold contrast is 1% for a remarkably wide range of targets and conditions. While printed charts are still in use, computer testing is becoming more popular because it offers efficient adaptive measurement of ...

The deficits for contrast detection and positional accuracy were compared for chromatic and luminance mechanisms within a group of strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes. We found that the isoluminant point was shifted towards red in the amblyopic compared to the fellow normal eye. This was not accounted for by eccentric fixation by the amblyopic eye. Contrast sensitivity deficits were similar ...

Several studies have indicated substantial processing deficits for static second-order stimuli in amblyopia. However, less is known about the perception of second-order moving gratings. To investigate this issue, we measured the contrast sensitivity for second-order (contrast-modulated) moving gratings in seven anisometropic amblyopes and ten normal controls. The measurements were performed wit...

P rior studies have found a reduction in contrast sensitivity in eyes with amblyopia using sinusoidal gratings, whereas minimal loss has been reported with Pelli-Robson charts. Most studies have evaluated contrast sensitivity at the time of diagnosis of amblyopia or after short-term treatment. A follow-up study of an earlier randomized trial provided us the opportunity to evaluate contrast sens...

The purpose of this study was to define the quantitative relationship between the temporal characteristics of additive luminance noise and the properties of the spatial contrast sensitivity function (CSF). CSFs were obtained from two observers using Gabor patch targets of short duration that were added to white luminance noise with a range of root-mean-square contrasts (c(rms)). The noise was e...