Objective and quantitative assessment of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity based on steady-state motion visual evoked potentials using concentric-ring paradigm

Abstract

Purpose: The traditional assessment of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity depends more on subjective judgments. Steady-state motion visual evoked potentials (SSMVEPs) can provide an objective and quantitative method to evaluate visual functions such as visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Here, we explored the possibility of objective SSMVEP visual acuity and contrast sensitivity testing, and compared its performance with that of psychophysical methods.

Methods: In this study, we designed a specific concentric ring with oscillating expansion and contraction SSMVEP paradigm to assess visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. By changing the parameters of the paradigm, the SSMVEP paradigm with different contrasts and spatial frequencies corresponding to different visual acuity and contrast sensitivity was designed. Moreover, we proposed a threshold determination criterion to define the corresponding objective SSMVEP visual acuity and contrast sensitivity.

Results: We tested visual acuity and contrast sensitivity of sixteen healthy adults utilizing this paradigm with an electroencephalography system. Our data suggested that there was no significant difference between objective visual acuity and contrast sensitivity measurements based on the SSMVEPs and subjective psychophysical ones.

Conclusion: Our study proved that SSMVEPs can be an objective and quantitative method to measure visual acuity and contrast sensitivity.

Keywords: Contrast sensitivity; Steady-state motion visual evoked potential (SSMVEP); Threshold determination; Visual acuity.