VISUAL PERFORMANCE AND OBJECTIVELY MEASURED GRADES OF CATARACT - A CORRELATION OF METHODS DESIGNED FAR USE IN LONGITUDINAL TRIALS

Objective quantification of cataract and subjective assessment of visu al performance are essential features of anticataract or cataractogeni c drug trials. The constraints of a longitudinal trial require a compr omise in contrast sensitivity measurement between sensitivity and spee d. Such a system has been developed for use in longitudinal anticatara ct trials. An objective cataract assessment system has also been devel oped for these trials. Visual performance parameters and objectively m easured grades of cataract using these systems were correlated in a gr oup of patients with early lens opacities. Overall the correlation was poor in all three morphological types of cataract. Possible reasons f or this and implications for future anticataract trials are discussed.