Contrast sensitivity and color vision in eyes with retinitis pigmentosa and good visual acuity: correlations with SD-OCT findings

Abstract

Background and objective: To investigate the morphological substrate of the changes in visual function in eyes with retinitis pigmentosa and good visual acuity using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Patients and methods: A total of 30 eyes of 17 patients with retinitis pigmentosa and visual acuity of 20/40 or better underwent contrast sensitivity and color vision testing. The retinal thickness at the fovea and macula and the length of the photoreceptor inner/outer segment (IS/OS) junction were assessed by SD-OCT. Structural-functional correlations were investigated.

Results: Contrast sensitivity correlated well with IS/OS length (Spearman r = 0.719, P < .001) and foveal thickness (r = 0.672, P < .001) and moderately with macular thickness (r = 0.422, P = .025). Moreover, color vision correlated significantly with IS/OS length (r = -0.725, P < .001) and foveal thickness (r = -0.661, P < .001).

Conclusion: In eyes with retinitis pigmentosa and good visual acuity, the structural changes observed on OCT scans correspond well to subtle measures of central visual function, complementary to visual acuity testing.