Clinical contrast sensitivity testing in patients with infantile nystagmus syndrome compared with age-matched controls.

Abstract

To compare contrast sensitivity using a commercially available technique between patients with infantile nystagmus syndrome (INS) and controls. Prospective, comparative case series. The functional acuity contrast test (FACT) was used binocularly in patients with INS and aged-matched controls with best acuity under normal lighting using a progression of high-quality sine wave grating size changes with increasing spatial frequencies. Nine INS patients aged 5 to 11 years and 25 controls were tested. The INS patients' best binocular acuity ranged from 20/125 to 20/30, and that of the controls was 20/25 or better. When compared with age-matched controls, INS patients displayed deficiencies in contrast sensitivity syndrome using the FACT test. The FACT or a similar testing system may have potential as a commercially available outcome measure in clinical trials in patients with INS.