Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in visual functions under the effects of moderate–high breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs), and the influence of biological sex on visual deterioration, considering different factors. A total of 37 healthy habitual alcohol users were enrolled in the experiment. The participants underwent a baseline session and a second session after an intake of 450 mL of red wine, so that all of them reached a BrAC above 0.25 mg/L. Visual performance was assessed by measuring the contrast sensitivity function, the halo perception, the stereopsis, and finally the retinal image quality. A Visual Deterioration Score (VDS) was calculated using the deterioration of these visual variables. All visual functions analyzed were significantly impaired following alcohol consumption (p < 0.05). The VDS was associated with the BrAC (ρ = −0.476). The VDS was also significantly higher in females, with the BrAC having a significant effect on the variability of the VDS in males and females (p < 0.05). However, the body mass index showed no significant effect (p > 0.05). Visual functions were significantly impaired under the influence of alcohol, and this deterioration was greater in females. The deterioration depends on the BrAC reached, being the primary thing responsible for the differences observed between males and females.
Highlights
Alcohol abuse is an important public health concern; in 2016, it was responsible for 3 million deaths worldwide and 132.6 million disability-adjusted life years
The deterioration of these variables (VDI and pupil size) following alcohol consumption was negative, since this was calculated as the difference between the results from the baseline and after consuming alcohol (aAC) sessions, and higher visual disturbance index (VDI)
Vision was strongly impaired after participants consumed a fixed moderate–high amount of alcohol, such that they reached a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) above the legal limit for driving in most countries (0.25 mg/L)
Summary
Alcohol abuse is an important public health concern; in 2016, it was responsible for 3 million deaths worldwide and 132.6 million disability-adjusted life years. Some authors have found a clear deterioration of near stereoacuity following alcohol consumption [3], but others have observed no effect [5,6]. What is clear is that alcohol does affect the accommodative function and vergence system [7,8,9], which could influence stereoacuity. In this sense, some works have shown that exophoria (increased at near vision tasks under the effects of alcohol) has a lesser effect on stereopsis, it may vary depending on the magnitude of the exophoria [10,11].
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