Temporal frequency discrimination in amblyopia.

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore temporal frequency discrimination in amblyopia, and the influence of attentional load on amblyopic temporal cognition. Twenty anisometropic amblyopes, 20 strabismic amblyopes and 20 normal subjects were recruited. A flickering disk was used for visual stimuli. A two-alternative, forced-choice staircase paradigm was used to measure the temporal frequency discrimination thresholds of amblyopic eyes, fellow eyes and normal dominant eyes under reference temporal frequencies of 5, 10 and 20 Hz. The just-noticeable differences data were analyzed statistically. In addition, the temporal frequency discrimination thresholds of the subjects were measured under different conditions of attentional load. The changes in temporal frequency discrimination thresholds were compared between amblyopic and normal eyes when attention was loaded. At the reference temporal frequencies of 5 and 10 Hz, temporal thresholds of amblyopic eyes were significantly increased compared with fellow eyes (P<0.05). Regarding strabismic amblyopia, temporal thresholds of fellow eyes were increased compared with normal eyes (P<0.05). However, no correlation was identified between the temporal-frequency discrimination thresholds and the LogMAR visual acuities in amblyopic eyes. In addition, higher attentional load caused greater changes in temporal thresholds in amblyopic eyes, but the situation was not the same for lower attentional load. In conclusion, in the present study a deficit of temporal frequency discrimination in amblyopic eyes and the fellow eyes of strabismic amblyopes was identified. Furthermore, the influence of attentional load on temporal frequency discrimination in amblyopic eyes was increased compared with normal eyes.