Case Report: Effect of Haploscopic Filter on Contrast Sensitivity Function and Color Vision Tests

• Published in: Optometry and vision science Vol. 97; no. 12; pp. 1034 - 1040
• Main Authors: González-Pérez, Javier, Rodríguez Daporta, Eloy, Mira, Jorge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Academy of Optometry 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Color Perception - physiology; Color Perception Tests; Color Vision Defects - congenital; Color Vision Defects - physiopathology; Color Vision Defects - therapy; Contrast Sensitivity - physiology; Eyeglasses; Filtration - instrumentation; Humans; Male; Middle Aged
• ISSN: 1040-5488; 1538-9235
• DOI: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001614

SIGNIFICANCEThe options that can help patients with congenital color vision defect, to a better professional and leisure adaptation, are very limited. Different haploscopic lenses can be considered, and their effects need to be investigated in patients with different defects. PURPOSEThe purpose of this study was to present and discuss the effect of a pair of asymmetric long-pass filters fitted for deuteranopia, with the result of a 60% improvement in distinguishing red-green plates when compared with baseline. CASE REPORTWe report the case of a 51-year-old man with congenital deuteranopia fitted with haploscopic ChromaGen filters. During the 2-month follow-up, we observed a decrease in left-eye logMAR visual acuity and contrast sensitivity with an increased ability to discriminate the plates of different color vision tests (Ishihara, Farnsworth, and Hardy-Rand-Rittler). The visual outcomes are discussed considering the spectral sensitivity curves of each filter, measured with a spectrophotometric device. CONCLUSIONSThis report describes an improvement in the ability to resolve color vision plates after using asymmetric haploscopic filters showing a left-eye decrease in logMAR visual acuity and contrast sensitivity function. Subjects with a history of color vision deficiency might benefit from using haploscopic filters that selectively minimize the transmittance within a specific bandwidth to improve the color discrimination in deutan color vision deficiency. The simultaneous analysis of the color vision outcomes and transmittance spectrum of the haploscopic filters might contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the claimed efficacy of these devices.