Retinal image quality during accommodation

Statistical Model of Ocular Wavefronts With Accommodation

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the minimum number of orthonormal basis functions, applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA), to represent the most wavefront aberrations at different accommodation stages. The study also aims to generate synthetic wavefront data using these functions.

Methods

Monocular wavefront data from 191 subjects (26.15 ± 5.56 years old) were measured with a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer, simulating accommodation from 0 diopters (D) to 5 D in 1 D steps. The wavefronts for each accommodative demand were rescaled for different pupil sizes: 4.66, 4.76, 4.40, 4.09, 4.07, and 3.68 mm. PCA was applied to 150 wavefront parameters (25 Zernike coefficients × 6 accommodation levels) to obtain eigenvectors for dimensional reduction. A total of 49 eigenvectors were modeled as a sum of 2 multivariate Gaussians, from which 1000 synthetic data sets were generated.

Results

The first 49 eigenvectors preserved 99.97% of the original data variability. No significant differences were observed between the mean values and standard deviation of the generated and original 49 eigenvectors (two one-sided test [TOST], P > 0.05/49) and (F-test, P > 0.05/49), both with Bonferroni correction. The mean values of the generated parameters (1000) were statistically equal to those of the original data (TOST, P > 0.05/150). The variability of the generated data was similar to the original data for the most important Zernike coefficients (F-test, P > 0.05/150).

Conclusions

PCA significantly reduces the dimensionality of wavefront aberration data across 6 accommodative demands, reducing the variable space by over 66%. The synthetic data generated by the proposed wavefront model for accommodation closely resemble the original clinical data.

Focusing on mixed narrow band stimuli: Implications for mechanisms of accommodation and displays

The eye has considerable chromatic aberration, meaning that the accommodative demand varies with wavelength. Given this, how does the eye accommodate to light of differing spectral content? Previous work is not conclusive but, in general, the eye focuses in the center of the visible spectrum for broadband light, and it focuses at a distance appropriate for individual wavelengths for narrowband light. For stimuli containing two colors, there are also mixed reports. This is the second of a series of two papers where we investigate accommodation in relation to chromatic aberration Fernandez-Alonso, Finch, Love, and Read (2024). In this paper, for the first time, we measure how the eye accommodates to images containing two narrowband wavelengths, with varying relative luminance under monocular conditions. We find that the eye tends to accommodate between the two extremes, weighted by the relative luminance. At first sight, this seems reasonable, but we show that image quality would be maximized if the eye instead accommodated on the more luminous wavelength. Next we explore several hypotheses as to what signal the eye might be using to drive accommodation and compare these with the experimental data. We show that the data is best explained if the eye seeks to maximize contrast at low spatial frequencies. We consider the implication of these results for both the mechanism behind accommodation, and for modern displays containing narrowband illuminants.

Accommodation response and spherical aberration during 1-Year of orthokeratology lens wear and after discontinuation

BACKGROUND

To assess accommodation and spherical aberration changes during one year of orthokeratology lens wear and one month after lens cessation.

METHODS

A prospective, randomized, longitudinal study was conducted on forty-seven young healthy subjects at the Optometry Clinic of the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). Non-cycloplegic refraction, high and low uncorrected visual acuity, high and low best corrected visual acuity, accommodative lag, horizontal near phoria, corneal topography, and high-order aberrations were performed at baseline, 1-day, 1-week, 1-, 6- and 12-months of lens wear and after one month of wash out period. p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS

Spherical equivalent refraction (SE) was -3.23 ± 1.57D at baseline and -0.36 ± 0.64D after 12-months of lens wear, while accommodative lag changed from 0.53 ± 0.39D to 0.15 ± 0.29D after one year of lens wear. No significant differences were found when comparing SE at baseline and after one month of lens cessation (p > 0.05). A high correlation was found between the accommodative lag at baseline and after 12 M of lens wear. 22 out of 25 subjects with exophoria at baseline showed a significant reduction in the deviation at 12-months (p < 0.05). Total spherical aberration increased during all visits due to the lens wear (p < 0.05) although internal spherical aberration showed a significant decrease for 1-week, 1-month and 12-month visits (p < 0,05).

CONCLUSION

Orthokeratology lenses may change the accommodative response of the patient as a reduction on accommodative lag on exophoric patients and an overall increase on the internal spherical aberrations was found during treatment but return to nearly baseline values when cessation.

Anterior Chamber and Retinal Morphological Changes During Accommodation in Different Age Ranges

PURPOSE

Accommodation mainly affects the lens, a structure of the eyeball that degrades with age. The aim of this work was to study the morphological changes of different ocular structures during accommodation, both in the anterior pole and the posterior pole, which may also be involved in the accommodation process.

METHODS

The study will be carried out by stimulating accommodation through lenses of -1.00, -3.00 and -5.00 D starting from the spherical equivalent (M) of each participant in different age groups, from 18 to 66 years. To obtain the M value, aberrometry was achieved, and retinal optical coherence tomography and anterior pole tomography were performed to evaluate the possible structural modifications (central and peripheral), while accommodation was progressively stimulated.

RESULTS

It showed that as the accommodative demand increased, morphological changes were produced in retinal thickness, both in the central and peripheral retina, in all age groups. A thinning of the retina was observed in the central 3 mm, while significant progressive thickening was observed closer to the periphery (up to 6 mm from the fovea) as the required accommodative power increased. A decrease in the anterior chamber depth (ACD) and anterior chamber volume (ACV) was observed with increasing lens power.

CONCLUSION

Structural changes were observed in the central and peripheral retina, as well as in the ACD and ACV, while progressively greater accommodation was stimulated, showing that these structures were modified in the accommodation process even in advanced presbyopes.

Change in three-dimensional choroidal vessel network after AR device assisted 1-hour visual task in 2D/3D mode in young healthy subjects

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to investigate the changes of choroidal blood perfusion in different layers and quadrants and its possible related factors after 1 h visual task by augmented reality (AR) device in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) mode, respectively.

METHODS

Thirty healthy subjects aged 22-37 years watched the same video source in 2D and 3D mode separately using AR glasses for 1 h with a one-week interval. Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) was performed before and immediately after watching to acquire choroidal thickness (ChT), three-dimensional choroidal vascularity index (CVI) of large- and middle-sized choroidal vessels and choriocapillaris flow voids (FV%) at macular and peripapillary area. Near point of accommodation (NPA) and accommodative facility (AF) were examined to evaluate the accommodative ability. Pupil diameters by infrared-automated pupillometer under scotopic, mesopic and photopic condition were also obtained.

RESULTS

Compared with pre-visual task, the subfoveal CVI decreased from 0.406 ± 0.097 to 0.360 ± 0.102 after 2D watching (p < 0.001) and to 0.368 ± 0.102 after 3D watching (p = 0.002). Pupil sizes under different illuminance conditions became smaller after both 2D and 3D watching (all p < 0.001). AF increased after both 2D and 3D watching (both p < 0.05). NPA receded in post-3D watching (p = 0.017) while a not significant tendency was observed in post-2D.

CONCLUSION

A reduction in subfoveal choroidal blood flow accompanied with pupil constriction was observed immediately after 1 h visual task using AR glasses in 2D and 3D mode. Accommodative facility improved after 2D and 3D watching with AR glasses, whereas decrease in the maximum accommodation power was only found in 3D mode.

Higher order aberrations and retinal image quality during short-term accommodation in myopic and non-myopic children

INTRODUCTION

Despite the known associations between near work and myopia, and retinal image quality and eye growth, accommodation-induced changes in higher order aberrations (HOA's) and retinal image quality in children with different refractive errors are poorly understood.

METHODS

Ocular HOA's were measured using a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor (COAS-HD, Wavefront Sciences) in 18 myopic and 18 age- and sex-matched non-myopic children during short-term accommodation tasks (four demands of 0, 3, 6 and 9 D) presented using a Badal optometer. Eighth order Zernike polynomials were fitted across a 2.3 mm pupil diameter to determine refractive power vectors (M, J₁₈₀ and J₄₅ ) and the accommodation error, and a 4 mm pupil was used for HOA analyses. Retinal image quality was examined using the visual Strehl ratio based on the optical transfer function (VSOTF) for third to eighth radial orders only.

RESULTS

Most refractive error group differences were observed for the 6 and 9 D demands. Myopic children underwent greater changes in with-the-rule astigmatism (J₁₈₀ ), higher order and third order RMS values, primary vertical ( C 3 - 1 $$ {C}_3^{-1} $$ ) and horizontal coma ( C 3 1 $$ {C}_3^1 $$ ), and several other individual Zernike coefficients compared with non-myopic children (all refractive error group by demand interaction p-values of ≤0.02). Non-myopic children exhibited a greater negative shift in primary ( C 4 0 $$ {C}_4^0 $$ ) and positive shift in secondary spherical aberration ( C 6 0 $$ {C}_6^0 $$ ) (both refractive error group by demand interaction p-values of ≤0.002). The VSOTF degraded for the 6 and 9 D demands in both groups, but the myopic children underwent a greater mean (SE) reduction from 0 D of -0.274 (0.048) for the 9 D demand, compared with -0.131 (0.052) for the non-myopic children (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

These results may have implications for the association between near work, accommodation and myopia development, particularly related to the use of short working distances during near tasks.

Clinical validation of a novel smartphone application for measuring best corrected visual acuity

PURPOSE

Personal mobile devices such as smartphones are proving their usefulness in ever more applications in tele-eyecare. An inconvenience and potential source of error in these past approaches stemmed from the requirement for the subjects to situate their devices at a distance. The present study aims to clinically validate best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measures carried out by a novel smartphone application "vision.app" (VisionApp Solutions S.L.) using comparative statistics against clinical measurements.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

BCVA was measured in both eyes of 40 subjects using vision.app which displayed a black Landolt-C optotype with crowding on a white background, and utilized a 4 forced-choice procedure for the subjects to find (by means of swiping in either of four directions) the smallest optotype size they could resolve. Results were compared to BCVA measurements taken using a standard Snellen chart placed at 20 feet (6 m).

RESULTS

The t-test revealed no significant differences between the app- and clinically-measured VA (p = 0.478 (OD) and 0.608 (OS)), with a mean difference between clinical and app measurements of less than one line of the eye chart (-0.009 logMAR (OD) and -0.005 logMAR (OS)). A limit of agreement for a 95% confidence interval of ± 0.08 logMAR for OD and OS was found.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show the potential use of a smartphone to measure BCVA at a handheld distance. The newly validated study results can hold major future advancements in tele-eyecare and provide eye care professionals with a reliable and accessible method to measure BCVA.

Optical modelling of an accommodative light field display system and prediction of human eye responses

The spatio-angular resolution of a light field (LF) display is a crucial factor for delivering adequate spatial image quality and eliciting an accommodation response. Previous studies have modelled retinal image formation with an LF display and evaluated whether accommodation would be evoked correctly. The models were mostly based on ray-tracing and a schematic eye model, which pose computational complexity and inaccurately represent the human eye population's behaviour. We propose an efficient wave-optics-based framework to model the human eye and a general LF display. With the model, we simulated the retinal point spread function (PSF) of a point rendered by an LF display at various depths to characterise the retinal image quality. Additionally, accommodation responses to the rendered point were estimated by computing the visual Strehl ratio based on the optical transfer function (VSOTF) from the PSFs. We assumed an ideal LF display that had an infinite spatial resolution and was free from optical aberrations in the simulation. We tested points rendered at 0-4 dioptres of depths having angular resolutions of up to 4x4 viewpoints within a pupil. The simulation predicted small and constant accommodation errors, which contradict the findings of previous studies. An evaluation of the optical resolution on the retina suggested a trade-off between the maximum achievable resolution and the depth range of a rendered point where in-focus resolution is kept high. The proposed framework can be used to evaluate the upper bound of the optical performance of an LF display for realistically aberrated eyes, which may help to find an optimal spatio-angular resolution required to render a high quality 3D scene.

Clinical applications of personalising the neural components of visual image quality metrics for individual eyes

PURPOSE

Eyecare is evolving increasingly personalised corrections and increasingly personalised evaluations of corrections on-eye. This report describes individualising optical and neural components of the VSX (visual Strehl) metric and evaluates personalisation using two clinical applications. (1) Better understanding visual experience: While VSX tracks visual performance in typical eyes, non-individualised metrics underestimated visual performance in highly aberrated eyes - could this be understood by personalising metrics? (2) Metric-optimised objective spherocylindrical refractions in typical and atypical eyes have used neural weighting functions of typical eyes - will personalisation affect the outcome in clinical 0.25D steps?

METHODS

Orientation-specific neural contrast sensitivity was measured in four typical myopic and astigmatic eyes and six eyes with keratoconus. Wavefront error was measured in all eyes while uncorrected and when the keratoconic eyes wore wavefront-guided scleral lenses. Total experiment duration was 24-28 h per subject. Two versions of VSX were calculated for each application: one weighted ocular optics with measured neural contrast sensitivity data from that eye, another weighted optics with a representative neural function of typical eyes. Wavefront-guided corrections were evaluated using the two metric values. Spherocylindrical corrections that optimised each metric were identified.

RESULTS

Metric values for keratoconic eyes improved by a mean factor of 1.99 (~0.3 log units) when personalised. Applying this factor to a larger sample of eyes from a previous keratoconus study reconciled dissonances between the percentage of eyes reaching normative best-corrected metric levels and the percentages of eyes reaching normative levels of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Spherocylindrical corrections that optimised both versions of VSX were clinically equivalent (mean ± SD Euclidean dioptric difference 0.13 ± 0.18 D).

CONCLUSIONS

Personalising visual image quality metrics is beneficial when actual metric values are used (evaluating ophthalmic corrections on-eye against norms) and when fine increments in visual quality are imparted (wavefront-guided corrections). However, partially individualised metrics appear adequate when metrics relatively rank spherocylindrical corrections in 0.25 D steps.

Higher order aberrations and retinal image quality during short-term accommodation in children

Changes in higher order aberrations (HOA's) and retinal image quality during accommodation have not previously been examined in children. This study measured ocular HOA's in ninety non-myopic, school-aged children during short-term accommodation tasks at 0, 3, 6, and 9 D demands presented via a Badal optometer mounted to a Hartmann-Shack wavefront aberrometer (COAS-HD, Wavefront Sciences). Eighty-four participants who exhibited active accommodation were included in the analyses. An eighth order Zernike polynomial was fit across a 2.3 mm, 4 mm, and natural pupil diameter to evaluate changes in refractive power vectors (M, J₁₈₀, and J₄₅), accommodation errors (lags and leads), HOA root mean square (RMS) variables, individual Zernike coefficients, and the visual Strehl ratio based on the optical transfer function (VSOTF). All HOA RMS variables changed significantly with accommodation, with the greatest change observed for the 9 D demand. Of the individual Zernike coefficients, primary (C₄⁰) and secondary spherical aberration (C₆⁰) exhibited the greatest magnitude of change, becoming negative and positive with increasing accommodation, respectively. The VSOTF changed significantly with greater accommodation for both the 4 mm and natural pupil size, becoming significantly worse for the 9 D demand. HOA's increase and retinal image quality decreases significantly during higher levels of accommodation in children, similar to adults. These findings provide a greater understanding of the optical properties of children's eyes and insights into possible mechanisms for the association between accommodation, near work, and refractive error development.

Trends in research related to high myopia from 2010 to 2019: a bibliometric and knowledge mapping analysis

AIM

To evaluate the global trends in and explore hotspots of high myopia (HM) research.

METHODS

This bibliometric analysis was used to reveal the publication trends in HM research field based on the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). VOSviewer version 1.6.13 software was used to analyze the data and construct a knowledge map including the yearly publication number, journals, countries, international collaborations, authors, research hotspots, and intellectual base in HM.

RESULTS

The search engine found 3544 peer-reviewed publications on HM between 2010 and 2019, and the yearly research output substantially elevated over the past decade. China is the top publishing country, and Sun Yat-sen University was the most active academic institution. Jonas JB is the top publishing scientist, and Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (IOVS) was the most productive journal. The highest cited references mainly focused on epidemiology and management. The keywords formed 6 clusters: 1) refractive surgery; 2) etiology and clinical characteristics; 3) the mechanism of eye growth; 4) management for myopic maculopathy; 5) vitrectomy surgical treatment; 6) myopia-associated glaucoma-like optic neuropathy.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation of development trends based on the data extracted from WoSCC can provide valuable information and guidance for ophthalmologists and public health researchers to improve management procedures in HM field.

Accommodation and binocular vision changes after wearing orthokeratology lens in 8- to 14-year-old myopic children

PURPOSE

The study aimed to observe and analyze the dynamic accommodation and binocular vision changes in myopic children after they switched from spectacles to orthokeratology (ortho-k) lenses.

METHODS

Thirty-six myopic children aged 8-14 years were enrolled in this prospective, self-controlled study from West China Hospital. General information was gathered, and examinations were performed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after switching to ortho-k lenses. The examination included assessments of distance/near visual acuity, distance/near horizontal and vertical ocular alignment, distance/near horizontal vergence range, accommodative amplitude, monocular/binocular accommodative facility, accommodative response, positive and negative relative accommodation (PRA/NRA), accommodation convergence/accommodation (AC/A), stereopsis, and reading ability.

RESULTS

After the children switched to ortho-k lenses, distance and near ocular alignment showed an exophoric shift (distance: p = 0.001, near: p = 0.002), and the horizontal vergence range decreased by different degrees (convergence: distance blur point (p = 0.002), distance break point (p = 0.005), near blur point (p = 0.011), near break point (p = 0.043); divergence: distance break point (p < 0.001), distance recover point (p < 0.001), near recover point (p = 0.005)). The stereopsis ability (p < 0.001), monocular/binocular accommodative facility (p < 0.001), and PRA (p = 0.010) increased. The accommodative lag (p < 0.001), accommodative amplitude (p < 0.001), and calculated and gradient AC/A (calculated: p = 0.001, gradient: p = 0.025) decreased. The adjusted horizontal and vertical reading times and their ratio decreased (all p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The subjects showed distance and near exophoric shifts after switching to ortho-k lenses; improvements in accommodative function, stereopsis, and ocular motility; and a decrease in the binocular horizontal vergence range. The relationships between these changes and the ortho-k myopic control effects require further investigation.

Orientation-specific long-term neural adaptation of the visual system in keratoconus

Eyes with the corneal ectasia keratoconus have performed better than expected (e.g. visual acuity) given their elevated levels of higher-order aberrations that cause rotationally asymmetric retinal blur. Adapted neural processing has been suggested as an explanation but has not been measured across multiple meridional orientations. Using a custom Maxwellian-view laser interferometer to bypass ocular optics, sinusoidal grating neural contrast sensitivity was measured in six eyes (three subjects) with keratoconus and four typical eyes (two subjects) at six spatial frequencies and eight orientations using a two-interval forced-choice paradigm. Total measurement duration was 24 to 28 hours per subject. Neural contrast sensitivity functions of typical eyes agreed with literature and generally showed the oblique effect on a linear-scale and rotational symmetry on a log-scale (rotational symmetry was quantified as the ratio of the minor and major radii of an ellipse fit to all orientations within each spatial frequency; typical eye mean 0.93, median 0.93; where a circle = 1). Mean sensitivities of eyes with keratoconus were 20% to 60% lower (at lower and higher spatial frequencies respectively) than typical eyes. Orientation-specific neural contrast sensitivity functions in keratoconus showed substantial rotational asymmetry (ellipse radii ratio: mean 0.84; median 0.86) and large meridional reductions. The visual image quality metric VSX was used with a permutation test to combine the asymmetric optical aberrations of the eyes with keratoconus and their measured asymmetric neural functions, which illustrated how the neural sensitivities generally mitigated the detrimental effects of the optics.

Combining optical and neural components in physiological visual image quality metrics as functions of luminance and age

Visual image quality metrics combine comprehensive descriptions of ocular optics (from wavefront error) with a measure of the neural processing of the visual system (neural contrast sensitivity). To improve the ability of these metrics to track real-world changes in visual performance and to investigate the roles and interactions of those optical and neural components in foveal visual image quality as functions of age and target luminance, models of neural contrast sensitivity were constructed from the literature as functions of (1) retinal illuminance (Trolands, td), and (2) retinal illuminance and age. These models were then incorporated into calculation of the visual Strehl ratio (VSX). Best-corrected VSX values were determined at physiological pupil sizes over target luminances of 104 to 10-3 cd/m2 for 146 eyes spanning six decades of age. Optical and neural components of the metrics interact and contribute to visual image quality in three ways. At target luminances resulting in >900 td at physiological pupil size, neural processing is constant, and only aberrations (that change as pupil size changes with luminance) affect the metric. At low mesopic luminances below where pupil size asymptotes to maximum, optics are constant (maximum pupil), and only the neural component changes with luminance. Between these two levels, both optical and neural components of the metrics are affected by changes in target luminance. The model that accounted for both retinal illuminance and age allowed VSX, termed VSX(td,a), to best track visual acuity trends (measured at 160 and 200 cd/m2) as a function of age (20s through 70s) from the literature. Best-corrected VSX(td,a) decreased by 2.24 log units between maximum and minimum target luminances in the youngest eyes and by 2.58 log units in the oldest. The decrease due to age was more gradual at high target luminances (0.70 log units) and more pronounced as target luminance decreased (1.04 log units).

Influence of virtual reality on visual parameters: immersive versus non-immersive mode

Abstract

Background

To investigate the differences in refraction, accommodative factors, visual parameters, and subjective symptoms after using two types of virtual reality (VR) content with different depths of perception.

Methods

Twenty-three volunteers, who played VR games in two modes (immersive and non-immersive) for 30 min, were enrolled. Visual parameters were examined before and after using VR. Accommodative factors were measured using static and dynamic methods. Subjective symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire. Differences according to VR content were compared, and correlations between each visual parameter were analyzed.

Results

There were no changes in refraction or accommodative factors after use of the VR. However, there was a significant increase in the near point of accommodation (NPA), the near point of convergence (NPC), and subjective symptom scores after using the immersive mode. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between baseline values of near exophoria and mean accommodative lag of the dominant eye, and also revealed a negative correlation between NPA and mean accommodative lag in the non-dominant eye.

Conclusions

The use of VR for 30 min increased NPA and NPC, especially after the immersive mode was used. In addition, higher exophoria and smaller NPA is associated with increased accommodative lag after using VR.

Atropine 0.01% for the Control of Myopia in Chinese Children: Effect on Accommodation Functions and Pupil Size

Background. To explore the effect of atropine 0.01% on accommodation functions and pupil size for safely and effectively controlling myopia in Chinese children. Methods. This was a single-center randomized clinical trial. 63 participants with myopia of at least −0.50 D and astigmatism of ≤−2.50 D were enrolled and randomized to receive atropine 0.01% once nightly with regular single-vision lenses or to wear regular single-vision lenses, in an allocation ratio of 3 : 2. Primary outcomes included changes of accommodation functions, pupil diameter, distant and near best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), near stereoacuity, and intraocular pressure (IOP). Secondary outcome was myopic progression at 6 months. Results. 61 participants completed the follow-up. Compared with the control group, the atropine-treated children showed a statistically significant increase in pupil diameter after 6 months (0.7 ± 0.7 vs. 0.1 ± 0.5 mm, P=0.01). Despite the enlarged pupil, routine vision-related activities were not affected. The mean changes in accommodative functions, BCVA, near stereoacuity, and IOP, did not differ significantly between the groups. At 6 months, participants in the control group showed greater myopia progression than those in the atropine group (spherical equivalent: −0.60 ± 0.43 vs.−0.30 ± 0.42 D, P<0.001; axial length: 0.35 ± 0.20 vs. 0.24 ± 0.16 mm, P=0.001). Conclusions. Atropine 0.01% eye drops significantly increased pupil diameter less than one mm, but it did not affect accommodative functions, BCVA, near stereoacuity, and IOP. Combined with its reducing myopia progression, atropine 0.01% can be used as a safe and effective treatment for myopia in Chinese children.

Customized models of ocular aberrations across the visual field during accommodation

We aimed to create individual eye models that accurately reproduce the empirical measurements of wave-front aberrations across the visual field at different accommodative states, thus providing a mechanistic explanation for the changes in the eye's aberration structure due to accommodation. Structural parameters of a generic eye model were optimized using optical design software to account for published measurements of wave-front aberrations measured for 19 individuals at 37 test locations over the central 30°-diameter visual field at eight levels of accommodative demand. Biometric data for individual eyes were used as starting values and normative data were used to constrain optimizations to anatomically reasonable values. Customizations of the accommodating eye model accurately accounted for ocular aberrations over the central 30° of visual field with an averaged root mean square fitting error typically below 0.2 μm at any given field location. Optimized structural parameters of the eye models were anatomically reasonable and changed in the expected way when accommodating. Accuracy for representing spherical aberration was significantly improved by relaxing anatomical constraints on the anterior surface of the lens to compensate for not including gradient-index media. Use of the model to compute pan-retinal image quality revealed large penalties of accommodative lag for activating photoreceptor responses to the retinal image.

Accommodation and its role in myopia progression and control with soft contact lenses

PURPOSE

To examine the impact of contact lens optical design on accommodative behaviour of children and the correlation between myopia progression and the accommodative response of the eye while wearing a contact lens designed for myopia control.

METHODS

A post-hoc analysis was conducted on data from a previously published myopia control trial. A total of 109 subjects (aged 8 to 11 years, myopia: -0.75 to -4.00 D) wore either a Control (single-vision, n = 57) or a Test (with positive spherical aberration, +SA, n = 52) soft contact lens, binocularly for 1 year. Accommodative response was measured as the subject observed targets at -1.00 to -4.00 D vergence using the Grand Seiko WAM-5500 open-field autorefractor (www.grandseiko.com). Slope of accommodative response (SAR) as well as distance and near phoria and stimulus accommodative convergence/accommodation (AC/A) were compared between each group at baseline without study lenses and at 1-week and 1-year visits with study lenses. The SAR was also compared to changes in axial length (AL) and spherical equivalent cycloplegic auto refraction (SECAR).

RESULTS

At baseline, there was no significant difference in SAR between the two study groups (ΔSAR = -0.039, p = 0.84). At 1 week, mean SAR of the Test group was significantly less than for the Control group (ΔSAR = -0.203, p < 0.0001), an effect that persisted to 1 year (ΔSAR = -0.129, p < 0.0001). In the Test group, greater SAR was associated with less change in AL (regression coefficient: -0.59 mm, p < 0.0001) and SECAR (regression coefficient: 1.12 D, p = 0.006) at 1 year. In the Control group, associations between SAR and change in AL and SECAR were not statistically significant. Compared to the Control group, eyes of the Test group appeared to be more exophoric with study lenses, however, the difference between the two groups was only significant at 1 week for distance phoria and 1 year for near phoria.

CONCLUSION

The soft contact lens with +SA for controlling myopia progression resulted in an apparent decrease in mean accommodation. Within the Test group, reduced accommodative response correlated with greater myopia progression, suggesting some subjects in the Test group utilised the +SA for near viewing, inducing hyperopic defocus at the retina. Accordingly, the potential impact of a lens optics on accommodative function should be considered during design of myopia control lenses.

IMI - Myopia Control Reports Overview and Introduction

With the growing prevalence of myopia, already at epidemic levels in some countries, there is an urgent need for new management approaches. However, with the increasing number of research publications on the topic of myopia control, there is also a clear necessity for agreement and guidance on key issues, including on how myopia should be defined and how interventions, validated by well-conducted clinical trials, should be appropriately and ethically applied. The International Myopia Institute (IMI) reports the critical review and synthesis of the research evidence to date, from animal models, genetics, clinical studies, and randomized controlled trials, by more than 85 multidisciplinary experts in the field, as the basis for the recommendations contained therein. As background to the need for myopia control, the risk factors for myopia onset and progression are reviewed. The seven generated reports are summarized: (1) Defining and Classifying Myopia, (2) Experimental Models of Emmetropization and Myopia, (3) Myopia Genetics, (4) Interventions for Myopia Onset and Progression, (5) Clinical Myopia Control Trials and Instrumentation, (6) Industry Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Myopia Control, and (7) Clinical Myopia Management Guidelines.

Aberrations and accommodation

Modern methods of measuring the refractive state of the eye include wavefront sensors which make it possible to monitor both static and dynamic changes of the ocular wavefront while the eye observes a target positioned at different distances away from the eye. In addition to monitoring the ocular aberrations, wavefront refraction methods allow measurement of the accommodative response while viewing with the eye's habitual chromatic and monochromatic aberrations present, with these aberrations removed, and with specific aberrations added or removed. A large number of experiments describing the effects of accommodation on aberrations and vice versa are reviewed, pointing out the implications for fundamental questions related to the mechanism of accommodation.

The influence of age, refractive error, visual demand and lighting conditions on accommodative ability in Malay children and adults

PURPOSE

Near work, accommodative inaccuracy and ambient lighting conditions have all been implicated in the development of myopia. However, differences in accommodative responses with age and refractive error under different visual conditions remain unclear. This study explores differences in accommodative ability and refractive error with exposure to differing ambient illumination and visual demands in Malay schoolchildren and adults.

METHODS

Sixty young adults (21-25 years) and 60 schoolchildren (8-12 years) were recruited. Accommodative lag and accommodative fluctuations at far (6 m) and near (25 cm) were measured using the Grand Seiko WAM-5500 open-field autorefractor. The effects of mesopic room illumination on accommodation were also investigated.

RESULTS

Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated that accommodative lag at far and near differed significantly between schoolchildren and young adults [F(1.219, 35.354) = 11.857, p < 0.05]. Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction showed that at near, there was a greater lag in schoolchildren (0.486 ± 0.181 D) than young adults (0.259 ± 0.209 D, p < 0.05). Repeated-measures ANOVA also revealed that accommodative lag at near demands differed statistically between the non-myopic and myopic groups in young adults and schoolchildren [F(3.107, 31.431) = 12.187, p < 0.05]. Post hoc tests with Bonferroni correction showed that accommodative lag at near was significantly greater in myopic schoolchildren (0.655 ± 0.198 D) than in non-myopic schoolchildren (0.202 ± 0.141 D, p < 0.05) and myopic young adults (0.316 ± 0.172 D, p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found between myopic young adults (0.316 ± 0.172 D) and non-myopic young adults (0.242 ± 0.126 D, p > 0.05). Accommodative lag and fluctuations were greater under mesopic room conditions for all ages [all p < 0.05].

CONCLUSION

Greater accommodative lag was found in myopes than in emmetropes, in schoolchildren than in adults, and under mesopic conditions than under photopic conditions. Accommodative fluctuations were greatest in myopes and in mesopic conditions. These results suggest that differences exist in the amount of blur experienced by myopes and non-myopes at different ages and under different lighting conditions.

Factors Influencing Pseudo-Accommodation-The Difference between Subjectively Reported Range of Clear Focus and Objectively Measured Accommodation Range

The key determinants of the range of clear focus in pre-presbyopes and their relative contributions to the difference between subjective range of focus and objective accommodation assessments have not been previously quantified. Fifty participants (aged 33.0 ± 6.4 years) underwent simultaneous monocular subjective (visual acuity measured with an electronic test-chart) and objective (dynamic accommodation measured with an Aston open-field aberrometer) defocus curve testing for lenses between +2.00 to −10.00 DS in +0.50 DS steps in a randomized order. Pupil diameter and ocular aberrations (converted to visual metrics normalized for pupil size) at each level of blur were measured. The difference between objective range over which the power of the crystalline lens changes and the subjective range of clear focus was quantified and the results modelled using pupil size, refractive error, tolerance to blur, and ocular aberrations. The subjective range of clear focus was principally accounted for by age (46.4%) and pupil size (19.3%). The objectively assessed accommodative range was also principally accounted for by age (27.6%) and pupil size (15.4%). Over one-quarter (26.0%) of the difference between objective accommodation and subjective range of clear focus was accounted for by age (14.0%) and spherical aberration at maximum accommodation (12.0%). There was no significant change in the objective accommodative response (F = 1.426, p = 0.229) or pupil size (F = 0.799, p = 0.554) of participants for levels of defocus above their amplitude of accommodation. Pre-presbyopes benefit from an increased subjective range of clear vision beyond their objective accommodation due in part to neural factors, resulting in a measured depth-of-focus of, on average, 1.0 D.

The effect of spherical aberration on visual performance and refractive state for stimuli and tasks typical of night viewing

PURPOSE

The aim of this work was to examine the impact of Seidel spherical aberration (SA) on optimum refractive state for detecting and discriminating small bright lights on a dark background.

METHODS

An adaptive-optics system was used to correct ocular aberrations of cyclopleged eyes and then systematically introduce five levels of Seidel SA for a 7-mm diameter pupil: 0,±0.18, and±0.36diopters (D)mm-2. For each level of SA, subjects were required to detect one or resolve two points of light (0.54 arc min diameter) on a dark background. Refractive error was measured by adjusting stimulus vergence to minimize detection and resolution thresholds. Two other novel focusing tasks for single points of light required maximizing the perceived intensity of a bright point's core and minimizing its overall perceived size (i.e. minimize starburst artifacts). Except for the detection task, luminance of the point of light was 1000cdm-2 on a black background lower than 0.5cdm-2.

RESULTS

Positive SA introduced myopic shifts relative to the best subjective focus for dark letters on a bright background when there was no SA, whereas negative SA introduced hyperopic shifts in optimal focus. The changes in optimal focus were -1.7, -2.4, -2.0, and -9.2D of focus per Dmm-2 of SA for the detection task, resolution task, and maximization of core's intensity and minimization of size, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Ocular SA can be a significant contributor to changes in refractive state when viewing high-contrast point sources typically encountered in nighttime environments.

Normative best-corrected values of the visual image quality metric VSX as a function of age and pupil size

The visual image quality metric the visual Strehl ratio (VSX) combines a comprehensive description of the optics of an eye (wavefront error) with an estimate of the photopic neural processing of the visual system, and has been shown to be predictive of subjective best focus and well correlated with change in visual performance. Best-corrected visual image quality was determined for 146 eyes, and the quantitative relation of VSX, age, and pupil size is presented, including 95% confidence interval norms for age groups between 20 and 80 years and pupil diameters from 3 to 7 mm. These norms were validated using an independently collected population of wavefront error measurements. The best visual image quality was found in young eyes at smaller pupil sizes. Increasing pupil size caused a more rapid decrease in VSX than increasing age. These objectively determined benchmarks represent the best theoretical levels of visual image quality achievable with a sphere, cylinder, and axis correction in normal eyes and can be used to evaluate both traditional and wavefront-guided optical corrections provided by refractive surgery, contact lenses, and spectacles.

The Relationship Between High-Order Aberration and Anterior Ocular Biometry During Accommodation in Young Healthy Adults

Purpose

This study investigated the anterior ocular anatomic origin of high-order aberration (HOA) components using optical coherence tomography and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor.

Methods

A customized system was built to simultaneously capture images of ocular wavefront aberrations and anterior ocular biometry. Relaxed, 2-diopter (D) and 4-D accommodative states were repeatedly measured in 30 young subjects. Custom software was used to correct optical distortions and measure biometric parameters from the images.

Results

The anterior ocular biometry changed during 2-D accommodation, in which central lens thickness, ciliary muscle thicknesses at 1 mm posterior to the scleral spur (CMT1), and the maximum value of ciliary muscle thickness increased significantly, whereas anterior chamber depth, CMT3, radius of anterior lens surface curvature (RAL), and radius of posterior lens surface curvature (RPL) decreased significantly. 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Conclusions

HOA components altered during step-controlled accommodative stimuli. Ciliary muscle first contracted during stepwise accommodation, which may directly contribute to the reduction of spherical aberration (SA). The lens morphology was then altered, and the change in anterior lens surface curvature was related to the variation of coma.

Variation of axial and oblique astigmatism with accommodation across the visual field

In this study we investigated the impact of accommodation on axial and oblique astigmatism along 12 meridians of the central 30° of visual field and explored the compensation of corneal first-surface astigmatism by the remainder of the eye's optical system. Our experimental evidence revealed no systematic effect of accommodation on either axial or oblique astigmatism for two adult populations (myopic and emmetropic eyes). Although a few subjects exhibited systematic changes in axial astigmatism during accommodation, the dioptric value of these changes was much smaller than the amount of accommodation. For most subjects, axial and oblique astigmatism of the whole eye are both less than for the cornea alone, which indicates a compensatory role for internal optics at all accommodative states in both central and peripheral vision. A new method for determining the eye's optical axis based on visual field maps of oblique astigmatism revealed that, on average, the optical axis is 4.8° temporal and 0.39° superior to the foveal line-of-sight in object space, which agrees with previous results obtained by different methodologies and implies that foveal astigmatism includes a small amount of oblique astigmatism (0.06 D on average). Customized optical models of each eye revealed that oblique astigmatism of the corneal first surface is negligible along the pupillary axis for emmetropic and myopic eyes. Individual variation in the eye's optical axis is due in part to misalignment of the corneal and internal components that is consistent with tilting of the crystalline lens relative to the pupillary axis.

The effect of longitudinal chromatic aberration on the lag of accommodation and depth of field

PURPOSE

Longitudinal chromatic aberration is present in all states of accommodation and may play a role in the accommodation response and the emmetropisation process. We study the change of the depth of field (DOFi) with the state of accommodation, taking into account the longitudinal chromatic aberration.

METHODS

Subjective DOFi was defined as the range of defocus beyond which the blur of the target (one line of optotypes of 0.1 logMAR shown on a black-and-white microdisplay, seen through different colour filters) was perceived as objectionable. The subject's eye was paralysed and different, previously-measured accommodative states (corresponding to the accommodative demands of 0D, 2D and 4D) were simulated with a deformable mirror. Different colour conditions (monochromatic red, green and blue and polychromatic (white) were tested. The DOFi was measured subjectively, using a motorised Badal system.

RESULTS

Taking as reference the average accommodative response for the white stimulus, the blue response exhibits on average a lead of 0.45 ± 0.09D, the green a negligible lead of 0.07 ± 0.02D and red a lag of 0.49 ± 0.10D. The monochromatic DOFi, calculated by averaging DOFi over the red, green and blue colour conditions for each accommodative demand was 1.10 ± 0.10D for 0D, 1.20 ± 0.08D for 2D, and 1.26 ± 0.40D for 4D. The polychromatic white DOFi were greater than the average monochromatic DOFi by 19%, 9% and 14% for 0D, 2D, and 4D of accommodative demand, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The longitudinal chromatic aberration causes a dioptric shift of the monochromatic accommodation response. The study did not reveal this shift to depend on the accommodative demand or to have an effect on the DOFi.

Effect of even and odd-order aberrations on the accommodation response

AIM

To investigate the potential effect that odd and even-order monochromatic aberrations may have on the accommodation response of the human eye.

METHODS

Eight healthy subjects with astigmatism below 1 D, best corrected visual acuity 20/20 or better and normal findings in an ophthalmic examination were enrolled. An adaptive optics system was used in order to measure the accommodation response of the subjects' eyes under different conditions: with the natural aberrations being present, and with the odd and even-order aberrations being corrected. Three measurements of accommodation response were monocularly acquired at accommodation demands ranging from 0 to 4 D (0.5 D step).

RESULTS

The accommodative lag was greater for the accommodative demands of 1.5, 3, 3.5 and 4 D for the condition in which the even-order aberrations were corrected, in comparison to that obtained for the natural aberrations and corrected odd-order aberrations for the same accommodation demands. No statistically significant differences were found between the accommodation responses under the three conditions.

CONCLUSION

The odd and even-order aberrations are not helping the visual system to accommodate, because their partial correction do not affect the accommodation performance.

Blur perception throughout the visual field in myopia and emmetropia

We evaluated the ability of emmetropic and myopic observers to detect and discriminate blur across the retina under monocular or binocular viewing conditions. We recruited 39 young (23-30 years) healthy adults (n = 19 myopes) with best-corrected visual acuity 0.0 LogMAR (20/20) or better in each eye and no binocular or accommodative dysfunction. Monocular and binocular blur discrimination thresholds were measured as a function of pedestal blur using naturalistic stimuli with an adaptive 4AFC procedure. Stimuli were presented in a 46° diameter window at 40 cm. Gaussian blur pedestals were confined to an annulus at either 0°, 4°, 8°, or 12° eccentricity, with a blur increment applied to only one quadrant of the image. The adaptive procedure efficiently estimated a dipper shaped blur discrimination threshold function with two parameters: intrinsic blur and blur sensitivity. The amount of intrinsic blur increased for retinal eccentricities beyond 4° (p < 0.001) and was lower in binocular than monocular conditions (p < 0.001), but was similar across refractive groups (p = 0.47). Blur sensitivity decreased with retinal eccentricity (p < 0.001) and was highest for binocular viewing, but only for central vision (p < 0.05). Myopes showed worse blur sensitivity than emmetropes monocularly (p < 0.05) but not binocularly (p = 0.66). As expected, blur perception worsens in the visual periphery and binocular summation is most evident in central vision. Furthermore, myopes exhibit a monocular impairment in blur sensitivity that improves under binocular conditions. Implications for the development of myopia are discussed.

Effect of Phenylephrine on the Accommodative System

Accommodation is controlled by the action of the ciliary muscle and mediated primarily by parasympathetic input through postganglionic fibers that originate from neurons in the ciliary and pterygopalatine ganglia. During accommodation the pupil constricts to increase the depth of focus of the eye and improve retinal image quality. Researchers have traditionally faced the challenge of measuring the accommodative properties of the eye through a small pupil and thus have relied on pharmacological agents to dilate the pupil. Achieving pupil dilation (mydriasis) without affecting the accommodative ability of the eye (cycloplegia) could be useful in many clinical and research contexts. Phenylephrine hydrochloride (PHCl) is a sympathomimetic agent that is used clinically to dilate the pupil. Nevertheless, first investigations suggested some loss of functional accommodation in the human eye after PHCl instillation. Subsequent studies, based on different measurement procedures, obtained contradictory conclusions, causing therefore an unexpected controversy that has been spread almost to the present days. This manuscript reviews and summarizes the main research studies that have been performed to analyze the effect of PHCl on the accommodative system and provides clear conclusions that could help clinicians know the real effects of PHCl on the accommodative system of the human eye.

The natural statistics of blur

Blur from defocus can be both useful and detrimental for visual perception: It can be useful as a source of depth information and detrimental because it degrades image quality. We examined these aspects of blur by measuring the natural statistics of defocus blur across the visual field. Participants wore an eye-and-scene tracker that measured gaze direction, pupil diameter, and scene distances as they performed everyday tasks. We found that blur magnitude increases with increasing eccentricity. There is a vertical gradient in the distances that generate defocus blur: Blur below the fovea is generally due to scene points nearer than fixation; blur above the fovea is mostly due to points farther than fixation. There is no systematic horizontal gradient. Large blurs are generally caused by points farther rather than nearer than fixation. Consistent with the statistics, participants in a perceptual experiment perceived vertical blur gradients as slanted top-back whereas horizontal gradients were perceived equally as left-back and right-back. The tendency for people to see sharp as near and blurred as far is also consistent with the observed statistics. We calculated how many observations will be perceived as unsharp and found that perceptible blur is rare. Finally, we found that eye shape in ground-dwelling animals conforms to that required to put likely distances in best focus.

Morphology, topography, and optics of the orthokeratology cornea

The goal of this work was to objectively characterize the external morphology, topography, and optics of the cornea after orthokeratology (ortho-k). A number of 24 patients between the ages of 17 and 30 years (median=24  years) were fitted with Corneal Refractive Therapy® contact lenses to correct myopia between −2.00 and −5.00 diopters (D) (median=−3.41  D). A classification algorithm was applied to conduct an automatic segmentation based on the mean local curvature. As a result, three zones (optical zone, transition zone, and peripheral zone) were delimited. Topographical analysis was provided through global and zonal fit to a general ellipsoid. Ray trace on partially customized eye models provided wave aberrations and retinal image quality. Monozone topographic description of the ortho-k cornea loses accuracy when compared with zonal description. Primary (C40) and secondary (C60) spherical aberration (SA) coefficients for a 5-mm pupil increased 3.68 and 19 times, respectively, after the treatments. The OZ area showed a strong correlation with C40 (r=−0.49, p<0.05) and a very strong correlation with C60 (r=0.78, p<0.01). The OZ, as well as the TZ, areas did not correlate with baseline refraction. The increase in the eye’s positive SA after ortho-k is the major factor responsible for the decreased retinal optical quality of the unaccommodated eye.

Depth-of-field of the accommodating eye

Purpose

To obtain experimental values of the depth-of-field (DOFi) of the human eye for different accommodative states.

Methods

First, the monochromatic ocular wavefront of seven eyes from young subjects (mean [±SD] age, 29.7 [±7.7] years) was measured at eight different accommodative demands (ADs) (from −1 to 6 diopters [D] in steps of 1 D). Then, in a second part, accommodation was paralyzed and an adaptive optics system was used to correct the aberrations of the paralyzed eye and to simulate, with the aid of an artificial pupil, the wavefront of the accommodated eye. The simulation was performed for each AD measured in the first part of the experiment. A Badal system was used to modify the stimulus vergence so as to obtain three repeated measurements of the subjective DOFi, based on the criterion of an objectionable blur.

Results

When increasing AD from 0 to 6 D, the mean intersubject pupil diameter and DOFi changed from 5.70 to 4.62 mm and from 0.85 ± 0.26 D to 1.07 ± 0.19 D, respectively. All subjects presented a similar DOFi for all AD (intrasubject SD never exceeded 0.23 D). Paraxial accommodation response showed a lag that increased with the AD. For the lowest (0 D) and the highest (6 D) values of AD, the refractive state of the eye was close to the nearest and furthermost ends of the DOFi, respectively.

Conclusions

The visual system takes advantage of the DOFi to change the refractive state less than necessary to form the paraxial image at the retina when it comes to focusing a near target (5 to 6 D of AD). This indicates that the main purpose of accommodation is not to maximize retinal image quality but to form one that is good enough.

Changes in the objective amplitude of accommodation with pupil size

PURPOSE

We evaluate the effect of pupil size on objectively measured amplitude of accommodation (AA).

METHODS

Pupil diameter and wavefront aberrometry were obtained in 15 eyes when stimulus swept across the range of clear vision in steps of 0.5 diopters. Wavefront refraction techniques were used to compute objective AA as the maximum refractive change. Measurements were obtained monocularly under low and high ambient room lighting conditions with a fixed luminance of the fixation target. Amplitude of accommodation computations were performed taking into account just paraxial rays (paraxial AA) or including the effects of the change of spherical aberration during accommodation (minRMS AA).

RESULTS

Mean pupil size values at low light level were 6.26 mm (relaxed) and 4.15 mm (maximum accommodation), whereas at the high light level, those values became 4.74 and 3.04 mm, respectively. The effects of both light level on accommodation were significant (p < 0.001), and accommodative miosis was slightly larger at low light levels. Mean minRMS and paraxial AA were always greater by more than 1 diopter in high than in low ambient lighting conditions (p < 0.01), indicating a significant impact of pupil size on AA.

CONCLUSIONS

The influence of the ambient lighting on the objective AA is not only attributed to the increased effects of spherical aberration as the pupil dilates but mostly attributed to a decrease in the paraxial accommodation as pupil dilates.

Smaller pupil size and better proofreading performance with positive than with negative polarity displays

The 'positive polarity advantage' describes the fact that reading performance is better for dark text on light background (positive polarity) than for light text on dark background (negative polarity). We investigated the underlying mechanism by assessing pupil size and proofreading performance when reading positive and negative polarity texts. In particular, we tested the display luminance hypothesis which postulates that the typically greater brightness of positive compared to negative polarity displays leads to smaller pupil sizes and, hence, a sharper retinal image and better perception of detail. Indeed, pupil sizes were smaller and proofreading performance was better with positive than with negative polarity displays. The results are compatible with the hypothesis that the positive polarity advantage is an effect of display luminance. Limitations of the study are being discussed.

Influence of spherical aberration, stimulus spatial frequency, and pupil apodisation on subjective refractions

PURPOSE

To test competing hypotheses (Stiles Crawford pupil apodising or superior imaging of high spatial frequencies by the central pupil) for the pupil size independence of subjective refractions in the presence of primary spherical aberration.

METHODS

Subjective refractions were obtained with a variety of test stimuli (high contrast letters, urban cityscape, high and low spatial frequency gratings) while modulating pupil diameter, levels of primary spherical aberration and pupil apodisation. Subjective refractions were also obtained with low-pass and high-pass stimuli and using 'darker' and 'sharper' subjective criteria.

RESULTS

Subjective refractions for stimuli containing high spatial frequencies focus a near paraxial region of the pupil and are affected only slightly by level of Seidel spherical aberration, degree of pupil apodisation and pupil diameter, and generally focused a radius of about 1-1.5 mm from the pupil centre. Low spatial frequency refractions focus a marginal region of the pupil, and are significantly affected by level of spherical aberration, amount of pupil apodisation, and pupil size. Clinical refractions that employ the 'darker' or 'sharper' subjective criteria bias the patient to use lower or higher spatial frequencies, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the presence of significant levels of spherical aberration, the pupil size independence of subjective refractions occurs with or without Stiles Crawford apodisation for refractions that optimise high spatial frequency content in the image. If low spatial frequencies are optimised by a subjective refraction, spherical refractive error varies with spherical aberration, pupil size, and level of apodisation. As light levels drop from photopic to scotopic, therefore, we expect a shift from pupil size independent to pupil size dependent subjective refractions. Emphasising a 'sharper' criterion during subjective refractions will improve image quality for high spatial frequencies and generate pupil size independent refractions.

Retinal image quality during accommodation in adult myopic eyes

PURPOSE

Reduced retinal image contrast produced by accommodative lag is implicated with myopia development. Here, we measure accommodative error and retinal image quality from wavefront aberrations in myopes and emmetropes when they perform visually demanding and naturalistic tasks.

METHODS

Wavefront aberrations were measured in 10 emmetropic and 11 myopic adults at three distances (100, 40, and 20 cm) while performing four tasks (monocular acuity, binocular acuity, reading, and movie watching). For the acuity tasks, measurements of wavefront error were obtained near the end point of the acuity experiment. Refractive state was defined as the target vergence that optimizes image quality using a visual contrast metric (VSMTF) computed from wavefront errors.

RESULTS

Accommodation was most accurate (and image quality best) during binocular acuity whereas accommodation was least accurate (and image quality worst) while watching a movie. When viewing distance was reduced, accommodative lag increased and image quality (as quantified by VSMTF) declined for all tasks in both refractive groups. For any given viewing distance, computed image quality was consistently worse in myopes than in emmetropes, more so for the acuity than for reading/movie watching. Although myopes showed greater lags and worse image quality for the acuity experiments compared to emmetropes, acuity was not measurably worse in myopes compared to emmetropes.

CONCLUSIONS

Retinal image quality present when performing a visually demanding task (e.g., during clinical examination) is likely to be greater than for less demanding tasks (e.g., reading/movie watching). Although reductions in image quality lead to reductions in acuity, the image quality metric VSMTF is not necessarily an absolute indicator of visual performance because myopes achieved slightly better acuity than emmetropes despite showing greater lags and worse image quality. Reduced visual contrast in myopes compared to emmetropes is consistent with theories of myopia progression that point to image contrast as an inhibitory signal for ocular growth.

Impact of pupil transmission apodization on presbyopic through-focus visual performance with spherical aberration

PURPOSE

To investigate the impact on through-focus retinal image quality and visual performance of apodizing the pupil's transmission function in combination with extended depth of focus presbyopic corrections, such as spherical aberration (SA).

METHODS

Through-focus retinal image quality was determined theoretically for various magnitudes of pupil transmission apodization and Zernike primary SA (-0.5 to +0.5 μm) for a 4-mm pupil. The impact of pupil transmission apodization was also assessed psychophysically with a vision simulator equipped with a liquid crystal spatial light modulator for controlling pupil transmission. Through-focus visual acuity (VA) was measured with and without apodization in three cyclopleged subjects from distance to near with monochromatic light (550 nm) under two multifocal aberration conditions. Phase plates induced +0.2 and -0.2 μm of SA over a 4-mm artificial pupil. A baseline condition of zero SA was also included for comparison.

RESULTS

The theoretical investigation showed that pupil transmission apodization significantly improved distance image quality in the presence of positive and negative SA. Retinal image quality at all target vergences for negative SA conditions was improved by apodization. Pupil transmission apodization improved through-focus VA by 0.1 to 0.2 logMAR at intermediate and near object distances for the zero and negative SA conditions. In the positive SA condition, apodization degraded VA by approximately 0.1 logMAR at intermediate object distances.

CONCLUSIONS

Pupil transmission apodization had a significant impact on though-focus visual performance. Pupil transmission apodization affects through-focus retinal image quality by diminishing the relative contribution to the retinal image from the peripheral region of the wavefront aberration. Through-focus visual performance in presbyopic eyes with negative SA was improved due to pupil transmission apodization.

Modelling the impact of spherical aberration on accommodation

PURPOSE

To understand how primary and secondary spherical aberrations affect focusing of the retinal image and the measurement of refractive state in the accommodating eye.

METHODS

A computational eye model was constructed from published anatomical dimensions of the eye's refractive elements for a range of accommodative states. Two strategies for controlling accommodation were implemented, one in which paraxial rays are always perfectly focused and the other in which paraxial accommodative lag grew larger as target vergence increased. Multiple configurations of the model were achieved by selecting various combinations of pupil size and aberration structure. Refractive state was defined as optimum target vergence for maximizing retinal image quality according to several scalar metrics.

RESULTS

When accommodation optimally focuses paraxial rays, retinal image quality is sub-optimal for metrics of image quality sensitive to non-paraxial rays. This loss of image quality can be recovered by optimizing target vergence computationally, which indicates the presence of real accommodative error according to the non-paraxial metric even though the eye is accurately focused paraxially. However, such errors are spurious if non-paraxial refractive state is misinterpreted as paraxial refractive state. Accommodative errors may indicate lag or lead, but in general the slope of the stimulus-response function is less than 1 for non-paraxial measures of image quality. These results depend strongly on pupil size and its variation due to accommodative miosis.

CONCLUSIONS

spurious accommodative errors can appear when the eye focuses the retinal image optimally according to one metric of image quality (e.g. paraxial) while ocular refractive state is measured by another (e.g. non-paraxial). Spurious errors are small compared to real accommodative lag for small, photopic pupils but can be of the same order of magnitude as real lag for large, mesopic pupils.