CONTRAST SENSITIVITY AND GLARE SENSITIVIT Y IN PATIENTS WITH MONOFOCAL OR MULTIFOCAL PSEUDOPHAKIC EYES

Reduced contrast sensitivity and an increase in glare sensitivity may be observed in patients with cataract and in pseudophakic persons. By means of Mesoptometer II we examined night driving ability according t o the recommendations of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) in patients with cataract, monofocal or multifocal pseudophakia. Methods: A total of 176 patients were included in the study: 85 patients (68.8 years) with a monofocal standard IOL, 50 patients (66.1 years) with a multifocal IOL type AMO Array SSM-26NB/SA-40NB and 41 patients with b eginning cataract (66.4 years). The corrected visual acuity of all pat ients was at least 0.7. Contrast acuity was examined at a luminance se tting of 0.32 cd/m(2); glare sensitivity was measured at a luminance o f 0.1 cd/m(2) with additional glare source. Results: Night driving abi lity (both criteria accomplished) was found in 41% of patients with bi nocular monofocal IOL and in 38% of patients with binocular multifocal IOL. Conclusion: Elderly pseudophakic patients and patients with begi nning cataract cannot sufficiently fulfill the criteria for night driv ing ability because of contrast and glare sensitivity. It seems to be indispensable, for the parameters mentioned to be carefully examined a nd for patients to be informed that night driving ability may be impai red, even if visual acuity is sufficient.