Reliability of the compensation comparison method for measuring retinal stray light studied using Monte-Carlo simulations

Recently the psychophysical compensation comparison method was developed for routine measurement of retinal stray light. The subject's responses to a series of two-alternative-forced-choice trials are analyzed using a maximum- likelihood (ML) approach assuming some fixed shape for the psychometric function (PF). This study evaluates the reliability of the method using Monte-Carlo simulations. Various sampling strategies were investigated, including the two-phase sampling strategy that is used in a commercially available instrument. Results are given for the effective dynamic range and measurement accuracy. The effect of a mismatch of the shape of the PF of an observer and the fixed shape used in the ML analysis was analyzed. Main outcomes are that the two-phase sampling scheme gives good precision (Standard deviation= 0.07 logarithmic units on average) for estimation of the stray light value. Bias is virtually zero. Furthermore, a reliability index was derived from the responses and found to be effective. (c) 2006 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.