The effect of decreased visual acuity on clinical color vision testing

PURPOSE: Evaluate the effect of visual acuity on color vision testing. DESIGN: University based clinical experimental study. METHODS: Right eyes of 12 healthy subjects were fogged with plus lenses to logMAR 1.88 and assessed with D-15 panel, Ishihara, and Hardy-Rand-Rittler (HRR) plates. Subjects were tested at lesser degrees of fogging, 0.1 logMAR intervals. The acuity at which 5% of the population tests abnormally was estimated as follows. The average acuity at which a 10% reduction in correct responses occurred was determined. From this, two standard deviations were subtracted. Examination devices were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Color vision testing did not significantly differ from baseline up to logMAR 1.40 (D-15 panel), 1.10 (HRR plates), and 0.72 (Ishihara plates). Testing devices were significantly different (P < .005). CONCLUSIONS: Color vision testing is accurate up to logMAR 1.40 (20/501) with D-15 panel, 1.10 (20/252) with HRR plates, and 0.72 (20/106) with Ishihara plates.