Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Contrast Sensitivity

  • Chapter
Ocular and Visual Physiology

  • 2813 Accesses

Abstract

Contrast sensitivity and visual function

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Johnson CA, Casson EJ. Effects of luminance, contrast, and blur on visual acuity. Optom Vis Sci Off Publ Am Acad Optom. 1995;72:864–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Levi DM. Visual acuity. In: Levin LA, Nilsson SFE, Ver Hoeve J, Wu SM, editors. Adler’s physiology of the eye. 11th ed. London/NY: Saunders/Elsevier; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hess RF. Early processing of spatial form. In: Levin LA, Nilsson SFE, Ver Hoeve J, Wu SM, editors. Adler’s physiology of the eye. 11th ed. London/NY: Saunders/Elsevier; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Campbell FW, Green DG. Optical and retinal factors affecting visual resolution. J Physiol. 1965;181:576–93.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Campbell FW, Gubisch RW. Optical quality of the human eye. J Physiol. 1966;186:558–78.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Schade Sr OH. Optical and photoelectric analog of the eye. J Opt Soc Am. 1956;46:721–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Pelli DG, Bex P. Measuring contrast sensitivity. Vision Res. 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hecht S, Mintz EU. The visibility of single lines at various illuminations and the retinal basis of visual resolution. J Gen Physiol. 1939;22:593–612.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Westheimer G. Modulation thresholds for sinusoidal light distributions on the retina. J Physiol. 1960;152:67–74.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Artal P, Navarro R. Monochromatic modulation transfer function of the human eye for different pupil diameters: an analytical expression. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 1994;11:246–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Westheimer G. Optical and motor factors in the formation of the retinal image. J Opt Soc Am. 1963;53:86–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Lamberts RL, Higgins GC, Wolfe RN. Measurement and analysis of the distribution of energy in optical images. J Opt Soc Am. 1958;48:487–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Losada MA, Navarro R, Santamaria J. Relative contributions of optical and neural limitations to human contrast sensitivity at different luminance levels. Vision Res. 1993;33:2321–36.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Michael R, Guevara O, de la Paz M, Alvarez de Toledo J, Barraquer RI. Neural contrast sensitivity calculated from measured total contrast sensitivity and modulation transfer function. Acta Ophthalmol. 2011;89:278–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Howell ER, Hess RF. The functional area for summation to threshold for sinusoidal gratings. Vision Res. 1978;18:369–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Adachi-Usami E. Human visual system modulation transfer function measured by evoked potentials. Neurosci Lett. 1981;23:43–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Campbell FW, Robson JG. Application of Fourier analysis to the visibility of gratings. J Physiol. 1968;197:551–66.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Smith Jr RA. Luminance-dependent changes in mesopic visual contrast sensitivity. J Physiol. 1973;230:115–35.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Clark CL, Hardy JL, Volbrecht VJ, Werner JS. Scotopic spatiotemporal sensitivity differences between young and old adults. Ophthal Physiol Opt J Br Coll Ophthal Opt. 2010;30:339–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Benedek G, Benedek K, Keri S, Letoha T, Janaky M. Human scotopic spatiotemporal sensitivity: a comparison of psychophysical and electrophysiological data. Doc Ophthalmol Adv Ophthalmol. 2003;106:201–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Souza GS, Gomes BD, Saito CA, da Silva Filho M, Silveira LC. Spatial luminance contrast sensitivity measured with transient VEP: comparison with psychophysics and evidence of multiple mechanisms. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007;48:3396–404.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Robson JG, Graham N. Probability summation and regional variation in contrast sensitivity across the visual field. Vision Res. 1981;21:409–18.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Pointer JS, Hess RF. The contrast sensitivity gradient across the human visual field: with emphasis on the low spatial frequency range. Vision Res. 1989;29:1133–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Hess RF. The Edridge-Green lecture vision at low light levels: role of spatial, temporal and contrast filters. Ophthal Physiol Opt J Br Coll Ophthal Opt. 1990;10:351–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Derrington AM, Lennie P. The influence of temporal frequency and adaptation level on receptive field organization of retinal ganglion cells in cat. J Physiol. 1982;333:343–66.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Spehar B, Zaidi Q. Surround effects on the shape of the temporal contrast-sensitivity function. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 1997;14:2517–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Chen SA, Wu LZ, Wu DZ. Objective measurement of contrast sensitivity using the steady-state visual evoked potential. Doc Ophthalmol Adv Ophthalmol. 1990;75:145–53.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Rimmer S, Katz B. The pattern electroretinogram: technical aspects and clinical significance. J Clin Neurophysiol Off Publ Am Electroencephalogr Soc. 1989;6:85–99.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Derefeldt G, Lennerstrand G, Lundh B. Age variations in normal human contrast sensitivity. Acta Ophthalmol. 1979;57:679–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hess RF, Howell ER. Detection of low spatial frequencies: a single filter or multiple filters? Ophthal Physiol Opt J Br Coll Ophthal Opt. 1988;8:378–85.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Enroth-Cugell C, Robson JG. The contrast sensitivity of retinal ganglion cells of the cat. J Physiol. 1966;187:517–52.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Campbell FW, Cooper GF, Enroth-Cugell C. The spatial selectivity of the visual cells of the cat. J Physiol. 1969;203:223–35.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. De Valois RL, Albrecht DG, Thorell LG. Spatial frequency selectivity of cells in macaque visual cortex. Vision Res. 1982;22:545–59.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Webster MA, De Valois RL. Relationship between spatial-frequency and orientation tuning of striate-cortex cells. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci. 1985;2:1124–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Malone BJ, Ringach DL. Dynamics of tuning in the Fourier domain. J Neurophysiol. 2008;100:239–48.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Blakemore C, Campbell FW. On the existence of neurones in the human visual system selectively sensitive to the orientation and size of retinal images. J Physiol. 1969;203:237–60.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Blakemore C, Nachmias J, Sutton P. The perceived spatial frequency shift: evidence for frequency-selective neurones in the human brain. J Physiol. 1970;210:727–50.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Pelli DG, Robson JG, Wilkins AJ. The design of a new letter chart for measuring contrast sensitivity. Clin Vis Sci. 1988;2:187–99.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Elliott DB, Sanderson K, Conkey A. The reliability of the Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity chart. Ophthal Physiol Opt J Br Coll Ophthal Opt. 1990;10:21–4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Ginsburg AP. A new contrast sensitivity vision test chart. Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1984;61:403–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Brown B, Lovie-Kitchin JE. High and low contrast acuity and clinical contrast sensitivity tested in a normal population. Optom Vis Sci Off Publ Am Acad Optom. 1989;66:467–73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Gstalder RJ, Green DG. Laser interferometric acuity in amblyopia. J Pediatr Ophthalmol. 1971;8:251–6.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Hess RF, Howell ER. The threshold contrast sensitivity function in strabismic amblyopia: evidence for a two type classification. Vision Res. 1977;17:1049–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Hess RF. Contrast vision and optic neuritis: neural blurring. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1983;46:1023–30.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Atchison DA, Woods RL, Bradley A. Predicting the effects of optical defocus on human contrast sensitivity. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 1998;15:2536–44.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Okamoto C, Okamoto F, Samejima T, Miyata K, Oshika T. Higher-order wavefront aberration and letter-contrast sensitivity in keratoconus. Eye. 2008;22:1488–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Chylack Jr LT, Jakubicz G, Rosner B, et al. Contrast sensitivity and visual acuity in patients with early cataracts. J Cataract Refract Surg. 1993;19:399–404.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Arend O, Remky A, Evans D, Stuber R, Harris A. Contrast sensitivity loss is coupled with capillary dropout in patients with diabetes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1997;38:1819–24.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Plainis S, Anastasakis AG, Tsilimbaris MK. The value of contrast sensitivity in diagnosing central serous chorioretinopathy. Clin Exp Optom J Aust Optom Assoc. 2007;90:296–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Regan D, Silver R, Murray TJ. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in multiple sclerosis--hidden visual loss: an auxiliary diagnostic test. Brain J Neurol. 1977;100:563–79.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. McKendrick AM, Sampson GP, Walland MJ, Badcock DR. Contrast sensitivity changes due to glaucoma and normal aging: low-spatial-frequency losses in both magnocellular and parvocellular pathways. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007;48:2115–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Bulens C, Meerwaldt JD, Koudstaal PJ, Van der Wildt GJ. Spatial contrast sensitivity in benign intracranial hypertension. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1988;51:1323–9.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Yamane N, Miyata K, Samejima T, et al. Ocular higher-order aberrations and contrast sensitivity after conventional laser in situ keratomileusis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004;45:3986–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Sakata N, Tokunaga T, Miyata K, Oshika T. Changes in contrast sensitivity function and ocular higher order aberration by conventional myopic photorefractive keratectomy. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2007;51:347–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Simon E. Skalicky

Authors
  1. Simon E. Skalicky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Skalicky, S.E. (2016). Contrast Sensitivity. In: Ocular and Visual Physiology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-846-5_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-846-5_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-287-845-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-287-846-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation