A new glare tester for clinical testing. Results comparing normal subjects and variously corrected aphakic patients

Abstract

A simple, inexpensive, readily available, easy-to-service clinical glare tester combines an audioviewer able-top projector with a series of specially made slides. Each slide supplies a constant glare source and a variable-contrast, central target. The device was evaluated on 161 normal subjects, 144 patients with cataracts, and 110 aphakic patients whose visual acuity was corrected with spectacles or intraocular lenses. Results showed that aphakic patients, irrespective of the mode of correction, were statistically more glare sensitive than normal phakic patients. Further results confirmed earlier studies that demonstrated that glare sensitivity also increased with age in normal eyes. Broad potential exists for using this method of glare testing in industry, transportation media, and medicolegal and and clinical ophthalmologic studies.