Assessing contrast sensitivity change in retinal diseases with use of yellow-amber NoIR glasses

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess change of contrast sensitivity (CS) in subjects having retinal diseases with yellow-amber no infrared (NoIR) glasses used as low vision aid (LVA). METHODS: We examined CS in 82 low vision (LV) subjects having retinal diseases with Pelli Robson Chart at 1 m distance before and after wearing yellow-amber NoIR glasses. We also found type of retinal affection and macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) features. RESULTS: The distance and near best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was, respectively, 0.68 ± 0.17 (median = 0.70) and 0.72 ± 0.25 (median = 0.70) logmar units. The pre-LVA CS was 0.52 ± 0.29 (median = 0.3) and post- LVA was 0.52 ± 0.28 (median = 0.45) logunits (mean reduction = -0.002 ± 0.24; Median reduction = 0; P = 0.909). The pre-LVA and post-LVA CS showed a negative correlation with logmar distance BCVA [r = -0.090; P = 0.317 and r = -0.152; P = 0.090 respectively]. The pre-LVA and post-LVA CS showed a negative correlation with logmar near BCVA [r = -0.114; P = 0.207 and r = -0.054; P = 0.549 respectively]. The CS did not improve in subjects having macular degeneration, pathological myopia, hereditary maculopathy, and diabetic retinopathy. The macular OCT features like fluid, exudates, scars, drusens, traction, and hole did not significantly influence CS both at pre-LVA and post-LVA stage. CONCLUSION: This is the first study with yellow-amber NoIR glasses which blocks “both ultraviolet and infrared light.” The subjects having macular degeneration, pathological myopia, hereditary maculopathy, and diabetic retinopathy did not improve in CS with filters. The correlation values showed that filters may improve CS in subjects having good baseline BCVA.