Through-focus visual performance measurements and predictions with multifocal contact lenses

Abstract

We measured high-contrast visual acuity (VA) and 12c/deg contrast sensitivity (CS) through-focus functions (TFF) of four eyes of four cyclopleged subjects in three conditions: naked eye, with a center-distance and center-near Proclear(R) multifocal addition 2D contact lens. In all conditions, an adaptive optics system statically compensated the astigmatism of the subject's eye alone. Multifocal contact lenses enlarged the width of the curve of through-focus visual performance but reduced the peak performance. We investigated the ability of image quality metrics based on wave-aberration measurements to predict VA and CS TFF. CS(12) metric through-focus and measured through-focus contrast sensitivities were well correlated (r(2)=0.74). Even if visual acuity metrics were often poorer than measured ones, the shapes of the measured through-focus curves and rMTFa(5-15) through-focus were quite comparable (r(2)=0.67).