The Effect of Age-Related Macular Degeneration on Polarization Pattern Perception

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if a battery of polarization-modulated stimuli, quantified as a single metric, is effective in identifying macular disease in the presence/absence of cataract or pseudophakia. Methods: Using a modified liquid crystal display, polarization pattern perception (PPP) for a formulated battery of geometric and logMAR stimuli was evaluated in participants that had either no eye pathology (healthy participants) or were grouped according to the presence of cataract, pseudophakia, and/or age-related macular degeneration (AMD). PPP was quantified as response frequencies to individual stimuli, and as a novel monocular polarization sensitivity score (Ps) based on perception of the stimulus battery set. Results: Stimulus response frequencies were pattern-dependent and, compared with healthy participants, reduced for cataract and AMD groups but not for subjects with pseudophakia. Compared with healthy eyes (n = 47, median Ps = 17), Ps was significantly reduced by AMD (n = 59, median Ps = 1, P < 0.001) and, to a lesser extent, by cataracts (n = 80, median Ps = 6, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between Ps for healthy and pseudophakic eyes (n = 47, median Ps = 13, P = 0.323). There was no significant correlation between Ps and logMAR visual acuity. Conclusions: In the absence of significant cataract, or in pseudophakia, a set of polarization-modulated visual stimuli, quantified as the Ps score, distinguishes AMD from healthy maculae. Translational Relevance: Perception of polarization-modulated stimuli, previously shown to be macula-dependent in a laboratory setting, is effective as a test of macular function in health and disease in a clinic setting.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.10.9.8
Divisions: College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Optometry
College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Optometry & Vision Science Research Group (OVSRG)
College of Health & Life Sciences
College of Health & Life Sciences > Clinical and Systems Neuroscience
College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Centre for Vision and Hearing Research
Additional Information: Copyright 2021 The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Funding: G.P.M. is partly funded by a grant from the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Polarized light,vision,Haidinger’s brushes,macula,macular pigment,Macula,Vision,Macular pigment,Refraction, Ocular,Humans,Visual Acuity,Macular Degeneration/diagnosis,Cataract/diagnosis,Pseudophakia,Ophthalmology,Biomedical Engineering
Publication ISSN: 2164-2591
Last Modified: 19 Mar 2024 08:30
Date Deposited: 10 Aug 2021 12:40
Full Text Link:
Related URLs: https://tvst.ar ... ticleid=2776555 (Publisher URL)
http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2021-08-05
Accepted Date: 2021-07-19
Authors: Misson, Gary P. (ORCID Profile 0000-0001-8843-8389)
Anderson, Stephen J. (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-5719-2846)
Armstrong, Richard A.
Gilett, Mark
Reynolds, David

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