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

Optom Vis Sci. 2020 Dec;97(12):1034-1040. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001614.

Abstract

Significance: The 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.

Purpose: The 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 report: We 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.

Conclusions: This 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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • 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