Backgrounds: Cystoid macular edema (CME) represents a major complication of intraocular inflammation and the most frequent cause of visual loss in patients with uveitis. The contrast sensitivity loss in patients with CME was reported to occur during the early stages of the disorder, even before the loss of visual acuity had set in. Therefore, we hypothesized that the suboptimally functioning, but not entirely destructed photoreceptors cause theabnormal contrast sensitivity. Our hypothesis was that the use of tinted filters (TF), which absorb short wavelength light, might improve contrast sensitivity (CS), visual acuity (VA), and subjective visual function in patients with CME. The expected result of this study is an improvement of the contrast sensitivity with the use of TF in patients with CME in contrast to those with macular disorders of other origins. Purpose: To ascertain the effect of TF on the visual function in patients with inflammatory CME. Methods: A prospective study included 14 patients with inflammatory CME and VAbetween 0.1 and 0.8 and 16 controls with macular disorders (but no CME) matched for age and visual acuity. All patients and controls underwent the following tests: VA at distance, CS testing (Two Docs programme), Octopus M2TOP and fluorescein angiography. All tests were performed with the followingthree TF: CPF - Corning photochromic filter 450, Zeiss filter 560, a commercial yellow filter 489, available in pharmacies. The numbers next to thenames of the TF represent the cut-off value, which means that in our case light wavelengths shorter than 450, 560 and 489 nm respectively will be absorbed. After the testing, we statistically analyzed objective and subjective differences. Results: Withouit TF, no differences in VA could be found between CME patients and controls (p = 0,79). (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters).

Raziskava je nastala na podlagi razčlenitve edinega registra slepih na državni ravni, ki jo vodijo na Zvezi društev slepih in slabovidnih Slovenije. Gre za 2297 popisnih listov, nazadnje revidiranih leta 1974. Tako glede na vzroke slepote kot glede na število slepih na enoto prebivalstva in starostno strukturo slepih nas rezultati raziskave uvrščajo med razvite države. Prevalenca slepih v Sloveniji je 155/100000 prebivalcev. Več kot 43 odst. slepih je starejših od 65 let; v zadnjih dvajsetih letih narašča delež slepih zaradi starostne degeneracije makule, kar je povezano z daljšo življensko dobo. Tudi delež slepih zaradi diabetične retinopatije narašča zaradi istega vzroka.