Evidence for mild blue-yellow colour vision deficits immediately followingfluorescein angiography

Aims: We have investigated the short term effects of fluorescein angiograph y on the blue-yellow, red-green, and luminance contrast senstivity of patie nts with early age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Methods: Nine ARMD patients with no exudative complications and a visual ac uity of 20/60 or better in the tested eye were selected. Cardinal colour di rections for the isolation of the red-green, blue-yellow and achromatic (lu minance) visual mechanisms were determined for each patient. Contrast sensi tivity was measured in each cardinal colour direction immediately before an d 20 min after standard 20-flash fluorescein angiography. Results: A significant, albeit mild, reduction for blue-yellow contrast sen sitivity following angiography was observed (ANOVA, alpha=0.05). Fluorescei n angiographic exposure had no significant effect on red-green or luminance contrast sensitivity. Conclusion: Our results show that fluorescein angiography causes at least a short term deficit selective to blue-yellow contrast sensitivity in our pa tient group. (C) 2000 The College of Optometrists. Published by Elsevier Sc ience Ltd. All rights reserved.