Comparison of Central and Peripheral Contrast Sensitivity Between Healthy and Refractive Surgery Patients Using the Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) Test

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess contrast sensitivity of central and peripheral vision with a newly developed, internet-based Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) test in patients who underwent myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or femtosecond laser–assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FSLASIK) refractive surgery in comparison with controls. METHODS: In a retrospective study, a total of 186 eyes from 93 patients were analyzed: 62 eyes from 31 patients for each of the three groups under comparison. Patients who underwent a refractive surgery procedure and controls were evaluated using the SPARCS test. SPARCS scores were obtained for central and four peripheral areas (right upper, right lower, left upper, and left lower quadrants). Total, central, and peripheral SPARCS scores in patients with refractive surgery were compared with controls, adjusting for possible confounders. Multivariate and mixed linear regression models were used. RESULTS: Patients who had PRK had a lower score in all categories compared with the control group: by 5.9 points (95% CI: −9 to −2.8) in the total score, by 1.6 points (95% CI: −3 to −0.3) in the central score, and by 5.5 points (95% CI: −9.4 to −1.6) in the peripheral score. Patients who had FS-LASIK had non-statistically significant lower scores than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: PRK causes a decrease in central and peripheral contrast sensitivity. [ J Refract Surg . 2022;38(2):128–133.]