Evaluation of spatial contrast sensitivity after the instillation of brimonidine tartrate 0.2% eye drops

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) Vol. 88; no. s246
• Main Authors: KARAMITSOS, A, CHATZIBALIS, T, MIRTSOU‐FIDANI, V, GEORGIADIS, N, KARAMPATAKIS, V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-09-2010
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.390.x

Purpose To evaluate the influence of Brimonidine tartrate on contrast sensitivity (CS).
Methods Thirty ophthalmologically healthy Caucasian individuals (15 male, 15 female), aged from 21 to 55 underwent CS testing. The examination was repeated 20 and 40 minutes after the instillation of brimonidine tartrate eye drops unilaterally. The fellow eye served as control.
Results All the examined individuals had normal visual acuity, color perception and CS before the drop instillation. Four of them complained for a temporary blurred vision at the eye in which brimonidine tartrate was instilled. These four individuals had impaired CS in high spatial frequencies (20 cycles/degree), in the examination performed 20 minutes after the instillation. The CS normalized again in the third CS evaluation performed 40 minutes after the instillation.
Conclusion The temporarily blurred vision of some individuals after brimonidine tartrate eye drop instillation is related with a decrease of spatial CS in high frequencies. Within this time period of 40 minutes after the instillation, individuals who experience visual disturbances should avoid activities that demand high visual efficacy or postpone the instillation for a more convenient time in relation to the visual disturbance they experience.