Australian vision chart Chart 5. (LogMAR low contrast letter chart)

Historical Significance: The clinical measurement of contrast sensitivity as a function of spatial frequency was of interest in the 1980s and various groups devised tests that were practical to use in the consulting room. Jos Verbaken, a staff optometrist in the clinic of the Victorian College of Optometry, was one of them. He devised this test to sample low contrast letter visual acuity. He also devised the Melbourne Edge test to measure low spatial frequency contrast sensitivity (See Cat No 1407).See: Verbaken J Role of the contrast sensitivity function in clinical practice. Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1987 Apr;64(4):290-5. Verbaken JH, Johnston AW Population norms for edge contrast sensitivity.Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1986 Sep;63(9):724-32. Verbaken JH, Jacobs RJ. The technical problems of producing photographic prints for the measurement of human contrast thresholds. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 1985;5(4):459-65. Greeves AL, Cole BL, Jacobs RJ.Assessment of contrast sensitivity of patients with macular disease using reduced contrast near visual acuity charts. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 1988;8(4):371-7. 3. Greeves AL, Cole BL, Jacobs RJ Reliability and validity of simple photographic plate tests of contrast sensitivity. Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1987 Nov;64(11):832-41.