Citation

Zavod MJ, Long GM. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 2001; 45(18): 1428-1432.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/154193120104501825

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Two experiments were performed to determine the effectiveness of a newly developed vision test for measuring human contrast sensitivity under dynamic conditions. In Experiment 1, measurements of dynamic contrast sensitivity were determined for 24 male and 24 female observers as a function of target velocity (0-120 deg/s) for letter stimuli of two sizes and two durations. Significant main effects were found for target velocity, target size, and target duration, while significant interactions among the variables indicated especially pronounced adverse effects of increasing target velocity for small targets and brief durations. In Experiment 2, the effects of simulated cataracts on dynamic contrast sensitivity were determined for 10 male and 10 female observers using the new test. Although the simulated impairment had no effect on traditional acuity scores, dynamic contrast sensitivity was markedly reduced under all conditions and this effect was particularly apparent with smaller targets and at higher velocities. Results are discussed in terms of dynamic contrast sensitivity as a useful composite measure of visual functioning that may provide a better overall picture of an individual's visual functioning than do traditional tests of static visual acuity, dynamic visual acuity, or contrast sensitivity alone.

Language: en