What is a contrast sensitivity test?
It measures how well you see objects that are faint rather than small. Two people can both read the 20/20 line and still differ in how well they see in fog, at dusk or in low-contrast light, and that difference shows up in this test.
- Subject
- Surgery journey
- Topic
- Eye tests & scans
- Kind of question
- What is…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
What this answer depends on
- Whether you are tested with glare present
- Whether the result differs between your two eyes
- Whether it has changed since a previous test
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This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- American Academy of Ophthalmology
A large professional body publishing both clinical guidance and plain-language patient education on refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of refractive surgery.
Link checked 22 September 2026