The role of working memory and personal traits in adaptation to multifocal optical correction: a pilot study in soft multifocal contact lenses users

Session Details

Session Title: Presented Poster Session: Intraocular Refractive Surgery

Venue: Poster Village: Pod 2

First Author: : N.Makhotkina THE NETHERLANDS

Co Author(s): :    T. Berendschot   M. Aelen   P. Hurks   V. van de Ven   R. Ruiter   R. Nuijts        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Neuroadaptation and personal traits have been considered to have an influence on the coping with simultaneous vision provided by multifocal optical correction by contact or intra-ocular lenses. However, the role of the personal traits and possible underlying mechanisms of neuroadaptation have not yet been studied well. Working memory capacity is closely related to attention, inhibition, resistance to distractions, and fluid intelligence ( i.e. abstract reasoning and problem solving) and can possibly facilitate the neuroadaptation. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between coping with multifocal contact lenses, personal traits and performance in working memory tasks.

Setting:

University Eye Clinic, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Visser Contact lenses practice, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Methods:

Twenty-nine habitual soft contact lens users with presbyopia who were motivated to switch to multifocal lenses were recruited. At baseline, participants performed three working memory tasks (back digit, letter span and visual spatial) and completed questionnaires measuring subjective assessment of cognitive functions (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Questionnaire) and personal traits (BIG 5 Personality Questionnaire, Compulsiveness Inventory Questionnaire). Thereafter, the participants were fitted with Air Optix Aqua multifocal contact lenses (Alcon Lab.) Visual acuity at near, intermediate and far distance and refraction were measured . After one month, the participants were interviewed about the satisfaction with their multifocal correction.

Results:

At one month 12 participants stopped using their multifocal contact lenses due to dissatisfaction with the quality of vision, while 17 participants were satisfied. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, spherical equivalent of refraction, reading addition and vision at far, intermediate and near distance at baseline, one and four weeks of follow up. We found no difference in the performance in each of working memory tasks. Analysis of the questionnaires also did not  show any differences in inhibition, flexibility, working memory and orderliness as well as openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism and compulsiveness.

Conclusions:

Although it is widely assumed that neuroadaptation and personal traits may play a role in coping with the shortcomings of simultaneous vision, e.g. halos, glare and suboptimal contrast, our study does not support this assumption. We did not find any relationship between personal psychological characteristics as well as performance in working memory tasks and dissatisfaction with multifocal correction with contact lenses. The role of these factors should be studied closely in patients with multifocal intraocular lenses before neuroadaptation processes and personal traits can be claimed to play a role in coping with simultaneous vision .

Financial Disclosure:

... has significant investment interest in a competing company, ... receives non-monetary benefits from a competing company, ... receives non-monetary benefits from a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented, ... receives consulting fees, retainer, or contract payments from a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented