The aim of this study was to measure contrast sensitivity function for spatial frequencies of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 cycles per degree in children between the ages of 4 and 13. We measured the contrast thresholds of 60 participants (50 children and 10 young adults) using the psychophysical forced-choice method and low luminance levels. All subjects were free from any identifiable ocular disease and had normal acuity. Results showed that contrast sensitivity function, in children in the 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13 age ranges, improved significantly with age. The results also showed that, by 12-13 years of age, the contrast sensitivity function was similar to that of a young adult (19-22 years). These results suggest that the development of contrast sensitivity function for sine-wave grating at low luminance levels attains adult-like values by about 12-13 years of age.
Child; Visual perception; Contrast sensitivity
