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Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Published in: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 6/2019

01-06-2019 | Miscellaneous

Age-related course of visual acuity obtained with ETDRS 2000 charts in persons with healthy eyes

Authors: Wolfgang Radner, Thomas Benesch

Published in: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology | Issue 6/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the age-related course of best-corrected visual acuity in healthy eyes.

Methods

Two hundred participants (400 eyes) 25 to 74 years of age (114 females, 86 males) were investigated, 20 per 5-year age group. Best-corrected visual acuity was measured monocularly with the ETDRS 2000 charts at a distance of 4 m (Precision Vision, Woodstock, IL, USA). Strict exclusion and termination criteria were used.

Results

Visual acuity did not change between ages 25 and 54 years (mean of the better eyes, − 0.18 ± 0.05 logMAR). A significant age-related break-point in visual acuity was found at the ages of 55–59 years. For all age groups, the overall mean visual acuity was − 0.15 ± 0.06 logMAR for the better eyes and − 0.13 ± 0.06 logMAR for the worse eyes. There was no difference between the right and left eyes (− 0.14 ± 0.06 logMAR). The visual acuity was better in the right eye in 29% (n = 58) of the participants, better in the left eye in 32% (n = 64), and the same in both eyes in 39% (n = 78). From ages 25 to 64 years, neither the better nor the worse eye had a visual acuity worse than 0.0 logMAR.

Conclusion

Best-corrected visual acuity was constantly high until the age of 54 years. An age-related break-point appeared at 55 to 59 years of age. Until age 64, a minimal angle of resolution smaller than 1 min of arc (visual acuity better 0.0 logMAR) can be expected in healthy eyes.
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Metadata
Title
Age-related course of visual acuity obtained with ETDRS 2000 charts in persons with healthy eyes
Authors
Wolfgang Radner
Thomas Benesch
Publication date
01-06-2019
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology / Issue 6/2019
Print ISSN: 0721-832X
Electronic ISSN: 1435-702X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-019-04320-3

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