Contrast sensitivity is the ability to see objects that may not be outlined clearly or don't stand out against a background. This ability often declines with age, particularly in people suffering from cataracts.

Low contrast sensitivity can affect your life by limiting vision in subtle but serious ways. You may experience difficulty performing routine tasks that could be dangerous without healthy vision, such as driving at night.

Just as important are the enjoyable activities inhibited by low contrast sensitivity. Do your eyes feel fatigued after watching TV? Are words hard to distinguish while reading in low light? Without even realizing it, you may also have trouble making other important visual distinctions, such as a landscape's color contrasts or others' facial features and gestures.

Keep in mind that it's possible to test well on the 20/20 visual acuity chart but still experience blurred, cloudy vision due to cataract-induced low contrast sensitivity. Learn more on All About Vision's Contrast Sensitivity page.

In a clinical study, cataract patients with the AcrySof® IQ lens in both eyes showed a statistically significant improvement in contrast sensitivity in both well-lit and low light conditions.

Learn how the AcrySof® IQ lens offers improved functional vision in challenging environments.

[Page updated August 2009]