Objective evaluation of binocular function using the pattern reversal visual evoked response. II. Effect of mean luminosity.

The effect of mean luminosity change on pattern reversal visual evoked response (VER), especially monocular VER, binocular VER and binocular summation, was studied. The mean luminosity level was changed with the use of neutral density filters. When mean luminosity level was decreased binocularly, binocular and monocular VER amplitudes decreased and binocular summation increased, reaching its peak at a luminosity of -0.3 log foot-lambert. When mean luminosity was changed monocularly and the interocular luminosity difference was larger than 0.6 log unit, the binocular VER became almost equal to or smaller than the monocular VER. In dim luminosity, the binocular system functioned better than the monocular system. Even a slight luminosity difference between the two eyes could disturb the binocular system.