Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Visual function in multiple sclerosis

  • Published:
Documenta Ophthalmologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

126 patients with multiple sclerosis and normal visual acuity were submitted to a battery of tests of visual function. The investigation included visual evoked potential, contrast sensitivity by three methods, and a segment of the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test.

22 of the patients gave a history of unilateral acute optic neuritis and in these the abnormalities were greater in degree.

Contrast sensitivity emerged as the most useful test and was abnormal in 92.2% of eyes. Visual evoked potential was delayed in 35.6% and colour vision was abnormal in less than a third.

In general, contrast sensitivity was depressed at all frequencies and most of the abnormalities could be identified by testing at a single frequency of 4 cycles/degree.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CD:

clinically definite

CS:

contrast sensitivity

CP:

clinically probable

MS:

multiple sclerosis

VEP:

visual evoked potential

References

  1. Perkin GD, Rose FC. Optic neuritis and its differential diagnosis. Oxford University Press, 1979.

  2. Lumsden CE. The neuropathology of multiple sclerosis. In: Vinken PJ, Bruyn GW, eds. Handbook of clinical neurology; Multiple Sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases. Amsterdam: North Holland, 1970; 9: 234–7; 305–8.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ulrich J, Groebke-Lorenz W. The optic nerve in multiple sclerosis. A morphological study with retrospective clinico-pathological correlations. Neuro-ophthal 1983; 3: 149–59.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kinnear PR. Proposals for scoring and assessing the 100 hue test. Vision Res 1970; 10: 423–33.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Verriest G, Aspinall P, Hill A. The lightness discrimination test. Bull Belg Soc Ophth 1979; 183: 427–46.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Zimmern RL, Campbell FW, Wilkinson IMS. Subtle disturbances of vision after optic neuritis elicited by studying contrast sensitivity. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1979; 42: 402–12.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fleck BW, Bell AL, Mitchell JD, Thomson BJ, Hurst NP, Nuki G. Screening for antimalarial maculopathy in rheumatology clinics. Br med J 1985; 291: 782–5.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Poser CM, Paty DW, Scheinberg L, McDonald WI, Davis FA, Ebers GC, Johnson KP, Sibley WA, Silberg DH, Tourtellotte WW. New diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis; guidelines for research protocols. Ann Neurol 1983; 13: 227–31.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Halliday AM, McDonald WI, Mushin J. Visual evoked response in diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Br med J 1973; 4: 661–4.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Asselman P, Chadwick DW, Marsden CD. Visual evoked responses in the diagnosis and management of patients suspected of multiple sclerosis. Brain 1975; 98: 261–82.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Matthews WB, Small DG, Small M, Pountney E. Pattern reversal evoked visual potential in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1977; 40: 1009–14.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kupersmith MJ, Nelson JI, Seiple WH, Carr RE, Weiss PA. The 20/20 eye in multiple sclerosis. Neurol 1983; 33: 1015–20.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Neima D, Regan D. Pattern visual evoked potentials and spatial vision in retrobulbar neuritis and multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol 1984; 41: 198–201.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Oishi M, Yamada T, Dickins QS, Kimura J. Visual evoked potentials by different check sizes in patients with multiple sclerosis. Neurology 1985; 35: 1461–5.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Regan D, Bartol S, Murray TJ, Beverley KI. Spatial frequency discrimination in normal vision and in patients with multiple sclerosis. Brain 1982; 105: 735–54.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Della Sala S, Comi G, Martinelli V, Somazzi L, Wilkins AJ. The rapid assessment of visual dysfunction in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1987; 50: 840–6.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Regan D, Whitlock JA, Murray TJ, Beverley KI. Orientation-specific losses of contrast sensitivity in multiple sclerosis. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 1980; 19: 324–8.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kupersmith MJ, Seiple WH, Nelson JI, Carr RE. Selectivity by eye, orientation, and spatial frequency measured with the evoked potential. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 1984; 25: 632–9.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Verriest G. Further studies on acquired deficiency of color discrimination. J Opt Soc Am 1963; 3: 185–95.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Mullen KT, Plant GT. Colour and luminance vision in human optic neuritis. Brain 1986; 109: 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fallowfield L, Krauskopf J. Selective loss of chromatic sensitivity in demyelinating disease. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 1984; 25: 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Aspinall PA. Some methodological problems in testing visual function. In Verriest G ed. Modern problems in neurology; colour vision deficiencies 2. 1973; 13: 2–7.

  23. Griffin JF, Wray SH. Acquired color vision defects in retrobulbar neuritis. Am J Ophthalmol 1978; 86: 193–201.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Pinckers A, Hardus P, Nabbe B. Comparison of visual evoked cortical potentials and colour vision in presumed demyelinating disease. Neuro-ophth 1983; 3: 161–5.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Harrison AC, Becker WJ, Stell WK. Colour vision abnormalities in multiple sclerosis. Can J Neurol Sci 1987; 14: 279–85.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Campos EC, Enoch JM, Fitzgerald CR, Benedetto MD. A simple psychophysical technique provides early diagnosis in multiple sclerosis. Doc. Ophthalmol 1980; 49: 325–35.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sadun AA, Lessell S. Brightness sense in optic nerve disease. Arch Ophthalmol 1985; 103: 39–43.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Fleishman JA, Beck RW, Linares OA, Klein JW. Deficits in visual function after resolution of optic neuritis. Ophthalmol 1987; 94: 1029–35.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Preston DS, Bernstein L, Sadun A. Office techniques for detecting optic neuropathies; Brightness sense compared to traditional screening tests. Neuro-ophth 1988; 8: 245–50.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Sanders EACM, Volkers ACW, Van der Poel JC, Van Lith GHM. Estimation of visual function after optic neuritis; a comparison of clinical tests. Br J Ophthalmol 1986; 70: 918–24.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Sanders EACM, Volkers ACW, Van der Poel JC, Van Lath GHM. Visual function and pattern evoked response in optic neuritis. Br J Ophthalmol 1987; 71: 602–8.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Ashworth B. Chronic demyelinating optic neuritis; a reappraisal. Neuro-ophth 1987; 7: 75–9.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Regan D, Raymond J, Ginsburg AP, Murray TJ. Contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, and the discrimination of Snellen letters in multiple sclerosis. Brain 1981; 104: 333–50.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Hess RF. Contrast vision and optic neuritis; neural blurring. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1983; 46: 1023–30.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Beck RW, Ruchman MC, Savino PJ, Schatz NJ. Contrast sensitivity measurements in acute and resolved optic neuritis. Br J Ophthalmol 1984; 68: 756–9.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Nordmann J-P, Saraux H, Roullet E. Contrast sensitivity in multiple sclerosis -a study in 35 patients with and without optic neuritis. Ophthalmol Basel 1984; 195: 199–204.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Edinburgh and the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK

    B. Ashworth, P. A. Aspinall & J. D. Mitchell

Authors
  1. B. Ashworth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. A. Aspinall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. D. Mitchell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ashworth, B., Aspinall, P.A. & Mitchell, J.D. Visual function in multiple sclerosis. Doc Ophthalmol 73, 209–224 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00155090

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00155090

Key words

Search

Navigation