Base Curve of Progressive Addition Lenses Influences Clear Vision and Stereopsis Area

PURPOSE: Progressive addition lenses (PAL) are effective, particularly for middle-aged and elderly people who require reading spectacles. However, with PALs, peripheral vision may be distorted and blurred because of both the lateral bending of the surface and the effect of unequal bending of the light coming from an off-axis location in the tangential and sagittal directions, which may lead to a decrease in the quality of vision. Till date, no evaluation of PALs has been reported with regard to peripheral and binocular vision. We investigated the influence of high-base-curve PAL on the visual function of binocular vision using a synoptophore. METHODS: The subjects were seven males and 13 females aged 50–79 years with a best-corrected visual acuity of decimal visual acuity (1.0) or higher in both eyes and addition power of 1.50–2.50 diopters as the inclusion criteria. The study design was a two-group, two-period crossover trial. Using a synoptophore, the subjective clear vision area of monocular vision and stereopsis area of binocular vision were measured while wearing conventional-base curve PAL (4-curve) and high-base-curve PAL (8-curve). HOYALUX RF SPORT 1.6 lenses (HOYA Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) were used for the test PALs. RESULTS: The clear vision area of monocular vision was significantly wider when wearing the 8-curve PAL on the temporal side of the right eye (P = 0.02), and on the temporal side of the left eye (P = 0.01). The stereopsis area of binocular vision was significantly wider in all directions when wearing the 8-curve PAL: right (P = 0.02); left (P = 0.03); right 15° upward (P = 0.02); and left 15° upward (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: It was clarified that, compared to 4-curve PAL, clear vision and stereopsis areas are wider when wearing 8-curve PAL.