A New maximum colour contrast sensitivity test for detecting early changes of visual function in age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the association between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and colour perception established by the maximum colour contrast sensitivity (MCCS) tests. Method: We performed a case-control study, which comparised of 100 patients with AMD and 100 healthy controls. To test visual acuity (VA), a typical Snellen chart was used. The computerised F-M 100 and MCCS programs were used for colour discrimination. Results: The results of VA, and the F-M 100 and MCCS tests in the healthy controls were statistically significantly better than in the patients with AMD (1.0 vs. 0.82±0.16, P=0.005; 87.39±24.11 vs. 185.39±74.43, P=0.005; 1.33±1.17 vs. 1.96±0.46, P=0.005, respectively). When VA was 1.0 in patients with AMD, the total error scores of the F-M 100 test and MCCS test compared with healthy persons were even worse: 166.09±66.57 vs. 87.39±24.11, P=0.002; 1.67±0.92 vs. 1.33±1.17, P=0.001, respectively. Analysis of the results of patients with AMD compared to healthy controls showed the highest error score in the blue colour range. Conclusion: The results of the colour contrast sensitivity test decreased by half in patients with AMD compared with opthalmologically-healthy patients when they performed the F-M 100 test and by one and half, when they performed a MCCS test in the blue colour range.