Evaluation of Melbourne Edge Test contrast sensitivity measures in the visually impaired

Aim: Contrast sensitivity (CS) provides important information on visual function. This study aimed to assess differences in clinical expediency of the CS increment‐matched new back‐lit and original paper versions of the Melbourne Edge Test (MET) to determine the CS of the visually impaired. Methods: The back‐lit and paper MET were administered to 75 visually impaired subjects (28–97 years). Two versions of the back‐lit MET acetates were used to match the CS increments with the paper‐based MET. Measures of CS were repeated after 30 min and again in the presence of a focal light source directed onto the MET. Visual acuity was measured with a Bailey–Lovie chart and subjects rated how much difficulty they had with face and vehicle recognition. Results: The back‐lit MET gave a significantly higher CS than the paper‐based version (14.2 ± 4.1 dB vs 11.3 ± 4.3 dB, p