Abstract
PurposeTo evaluate the age-related change in color visual acuity (CVA) in normal eyes.MethodsIn total, 162 normal eyes (162 subjects, women: 52, men: 110, age range: 15–68 years) with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥20/13 were enrolled. Fifteen colors from the New Color Test (chroma 6) were applied to Landolt “C” rings, white point D65 was applied as background, and a luminance of 30 cd/m2 was set for both the rings and the background. These rings were used to measure the chromatic spatial discrimination acuity as the CVA value, while changing the stimulus size. Correlations of the CVA value of each color and age were evaluated. Mean CVA values of all 15 colors (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were compared between age groups in 10-year increments.ResultsNine CVA values (red, yellow-red, red-yellow, green, blue-green, green-blue, purple, red-purple, and purple-red) were negatively correlated with age (all p<0.05); the remaining six (yellow, green-yellow, yellow-green, blue, purple-blue, and blue-purple), as well as BCVA were not. The age groups with the best to worst mean CVA values of 15 colors were as follows: 20–29 (mean ± standard deviation, 0.303 ± 0.113), 30–39 (0.324 ± 0.096), 10–19 (0.333 ± 0.022), 50–59 (0.335 ± 0.078), 40–49 (0.339 ± 0.096), and 60–69 (0.379 ± 0.125) years. There were statistically significant differences between mean CVA values of the following groups: 20–29 and 40–49 years; 20–29 and 60–69 years; 30–39 and 60–69 years (all p<0.01).ConclusionsThe CVA values related to the medium/long-wavelength-sensitive cones were more susceptible to aging than those related to the short-wavelength-sensitive cones. This differed from previous reports, and may be related to the difference in the range of foveal cone function evaluated with each examination.
Highlights
Human visual perception consists of spatial characteristics, temporal characteristics, and color vision
The color visual acuity (CVA) values related to the medium/long-wavelength-sensitive cones were more susceptible to aging than those related to the short-wavelength-sensitive cones
Age-related changes in color visual acuity from previous reports, and may be related to the difference in the range of foveal cone function evaluated with each examination
Summary
Human visual perception consists of spatial characteristics, temporal characteristics, and color vision. The black-and-white VA test is used to evaluate the achromatic spatial discrimination at 100% luminance contrast; only a small portion of the broad range of visual function is evaluated with a VA test. By incorporating color information into the conventional VA test, it may be possible to evaluate visual function in a way that is more relevant to daily life, and to detect diseases earlier than with the conventional black-and-white VA tests. That is, when the luminance value of the Landolt rings and background is equalized, the chromatic spatial discrimination acuity at a constant saturation and luminance can be evaluated. We defined color visual acuity (CVA) as “chromatic spatial discrimination acuity at a constant saturation and luminance,” as opposed to the “achromatic spatial discrimination acuity at 100% luminance contrast” that is measured with conventional black-and-white VA tests
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