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Psychophysical assessment of low visual function in patients with retinal degenerative diseases (RDDs) with the Diagnosys full-field stimulus threshold (D-FST)

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Abstract

To determine whether the Diagnosys full-field stimulus threshold (D-FST) is a valid, sensitive and repeatable psychophysical method of measuring and following visual function in low-vision subjects. Fifty-three affected eyes of 42 subjects with severe retinal degenerative diseases (RDDs) were tested with achromatic stimuli on the D-FST. Included were subjects who were either unable to perform a static perimetric field or had non-detectable or sub-microvolt electroretinograms (ERGs). A subset of 21 eyes of 17 subjects was tested on both the D-FST and the FST2, a previous established full-field threshold test. Seven eyes of 7 normal control subjects were tested on both the D-FST and the FST2. Results for the two methods were compared with the Bland–Altman test. On the D-FST, a threshold could successfully be determined for 13 of 14 eyes with light perception (LP) only (median 0.9 ± 1.4 log cd/m2), and all eyes determined to be counting fingers (CF; median 0.3 ± 1.8 log cd/m2). The median full-field threshold for the normal controls was −4.3 ± 0.6 log cd/m2 on the D-FST and −4.8 ± 0.9 log cd/m2 on the FST2. The D-FST offers a commercially available method with a robust psychophysical algorithm and is a useful tool for following visual function in low vision subjects.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Hemaxi Patel for her help with testing and both the patients with retinal degenerative diseases and normal subjects for participating in this study. This study was supported by funds from the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Retina Foundation of the Southwest, 9900 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400, Dallas, TX, 75231, USA

    M. Klein & D. G. Birch

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    D. G. Birch

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  1. M. Klein
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  2. D. G. Birch
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Correspondence to M. Klein.

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Klein, M., Birch, D.G. Psychophysical assessment of low visual function in patients with retinal degenerative diseases (RDDs) with the Diagnosys full-field stimulus threshold (D-FST). Doc Ophthalmol 119, 217–224 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-009-9204-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-009-9204-7

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