Factors influencing success and failure in monovision

Abstract

This study compared the visual performance of 70 successful and 18 failed monovision (MV) wearers, measured before contact lens dispensing. Compared with successful MV wearers, the failed group showed greater levels of ghosting at distance and near, lost more stereoacuity at 6 m, and lost slightly more near visual acuity. The failed MV group was also older on average than the successful group. Both groups showed worse visual acuity at distance and near with MV than at spectacle baseline, as well as worse stereoacuity at 6 m and 40 cm. Discriminant analysis indicated that distance ghosting, distance stereoacuity, and age were predictive of both success and failure (78% sensitivity; 82% specificity). An investigation, before lens fitting, of other effects of monocular blur on binocular function, as well as an assessment of personal characteristics such as motivation and the nature of visual demands, may further improve the accuracy of prediction of patient success with MV found in this study.