Abstract

Glare is an important problem for many people with low vision. A glare source located some distance from an object of interest can interfere with the recognition of that object. One likely cause of glare is abnormal light scatter in eyes with cloudy ocular media (due to cataract, corneal opacities, vitreous debris, etc.). Another possible cause of glare may be neural in origin. There is some evidence² for greater lateral masking in peripheral vision than in central vision. Therefore, individuals with central field loss who must use their peripheral vision to read or recognize objects may be bothered by glare, even though their ocular media are clear. We are investigating glare in low-vision subjects with clear or cloudy media, and different forms of field loss.

© 1986 Optical Society of America