COLOR-VISION DEFICIENCIES IN THE COURSE OF ACUTE ALCOHOL-WITHDRAWAL

Thirty-six male patients with a diagnosis of chronic alcoholism were d etoxified and color vision tests were performed on day 4, 11, and 32 o f their abstinence on an inpatient basis (Ishihara color plates, Nagel anomaloscope, three color-matching tests according to Farnsworth). Of the 36 patients, 47.2% manifested color vision deficiencies. The freq uency of congenital red/green defects (11.1%) and a ratio of 3:1 deuta n/protan defects showed no significant difference from the incidence i n the normal population. In 36.1%, manifest acquired color vision defi ciencies were diagnosed. Within the course of withdrawal, a marked imp rovment of these disturbances could be proved. The degree of the distu rbance seems to correlate with the severity of withdrawal symptoms, bu t seems to be unrelated to acute toxic effects of alcohol, nicotine, o r medication.