Relationships Between Spatial Contrast Sensitivity and Parafoveal Cone Density in Normal Subjects and Patients With Retinal Degeneration

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between spatial contrast sensitivity (CS) and parafoveal cone density (PCD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen healthy individuals (mean age: 26.1 years +/- 4.5 years) and nine patients with hereditary retinal degeneration (mean age: 31.6 years +/- 13.4 years) without media opacities were studied. The CS was measured by CSV1000 (VectorVision, Greenville, OH). The cone mosaic was photographed with an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) with a 1 degrees x 1 degrees field of view centered on the fovea. The PCD was calculated in an annular area with radii of 0.38 degrees and 0.43 degrees. The CS was converted to the logarithm (logCS), and the area under the logCS function (AULCSF) was determined. RESULTS: The AULCSF was significantly and positively correlated with the PCD in the control (R-2 = 0.522; P =.003) and retinal degeneration (R-2 = 0.514; P =.03) groups. CONCLUSION: PCD can predict the spatial contrast sensitivity in normal subjects or patients with retinal degeneration without media opacities.