PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R D Gunkel

Publications and source records attributed to R D Gunkel.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Color vision and age in a normal North American population.

Color vision is known to change with age. We conducted the Farnsworth-Munsell (FM) 100-Hue and the Lanthony Desaturated Panel D-15 (DD-15) tests in 115 normal North American subjects aged 5-81 years to obtain age-specific norms for these procedures. For each test, color discrimination was best between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Both increasing age and the occurrence of lens changes were significantly associated with increasing 100-Hue error scores. Age-specific norms for the 100-Hue test were comparable with those obtained by Verriest in a European population, but such norms for the DD-15 test are problematic. Our data indicate somewhat greater variability in the DD-15 than in the 100-Hue test.

Adolescent↗

Color vision defects in early diabetic retinopathy.

Four color vision tests were used to assess color vision in 51 insulin-dependent diabetic patients and 41 normal controls. Right and left eyes of diabetic patients, selected because they had minimal retinopathy, had significantly more color vision defects than controls on Lanthony desaturated D-15, Farnsworth-Munsell 100-Hue, and chromagraph tests. The 100-Hue scores were significantly higher in both right and left eyes of diabetic patients than in controls. There were no significant associations between presence or absence of a color vision defect and age, sex, age at onset, duration of diabetes, or its metabolic control.

Adult↗

Measurement of color thresholds.

It is generally believed that some degree of defective color vision is frequently acquired along with certain ocular and systemic disorders. Precise definition of the nature and extent of the color defects has not been possible because of the limitations inherent in the tests currently available for clinical use. We undertook to define the defects in terms of thresholds of discrimination to each color, plotted on a color circle similar to Munsell's uniform chromaticity scale diagram. Furthermore, we were able to construct a symmetrical-type of colorimeter which plots thresholds directly on a printed circle without having to read and interpret scales or dials. Good correlation of subtle defects with certain disorders was confirmed, and may eventually be helpful in diagnosing and following some types. This system of threshold measurement was found to provide more information about color vision than any one of the conventional tests, or all of them combined.

Adult↗

Congenital color blindness.

The term "color blind" is encountered frequently in areas pertaining to health, commerce, art, and entertainment, but in these cases it is generally not appropriate. Complete color blindness or achromasy is rare, but weakness or absence of discrimination to certain colors can be found in at least 8% of the male population. The most useful description of these color defects is in terms of hue and saturation, thresholds of which can be plotted as polar coordinates on a circular diagram. Plotting color thresholds with the chromagraph reveals more clearly than other clinical systems the true nature of color defects, as well as some inconsistencies in the traditional terminology and test methods. Fifty strongly color-defective subjects were tested by five different methods and the results compared. Normal values are also indicated.

Color Perception Tests↗

Colorimetry by a new principle.

A simple and informative method is described for determining the type and extent of color defects. The subjects' responses are registered automatically on a chromaticity diagram that is based on the newtonian model. Color defects are readily identifiable by a skewing of the normal central gray area toward the defectively perceived color. The examination permits independent variation of hue and saturation for each color and requires less than five minutes for the entire procedure. Unlike conventional color tests, the present method indicates exactly what colors are or are not seen at any level of saturation.

Adolescent↗

A Ganzfeld stimulator for electroretinography.

The design of a ganzfeld stimulator for electroretinography affects both clinical results and ease of operation. Several advantageous design differences from a recently described ganzfeld stimulator are (1) close proximity of the flash electrode to the surface of the sphere to increase the intensity and uniformity of the stimulus; (2) provision for interposing color filters in the background light; (3) use of a diffusing filter in the background light; and (4) placement of the stimulus flash anteriorly to avoid uneven illumination of the retina. Details of construction are proveded for two models and the specific advantages of each design are noted.

Electroretinography↗

The pupil dark response in normal volunteers.

A new semi-automatic videopupillometer with a two-channel video integrator uses prismatic displacement of pupil images for binocular recording with a single infrared-sensitive video camera. The video integrator graphically records pupil area or diameter during testing and can reanalyze and plot information from videotape recordings of pupil responses. This new pupillometer was used to evaluate the pupil dark response in 178 eyes of 89 normal human volunteers (ages 18-75 years). The time course of pupil dilation was similar in volunteers of all ages, even though the average pupil area became progressively smaller with increasing age.

Adolescent↗