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Contrast sensitivity
Contrast sensitivity is how well you distinguish an object from a background of similar brightness — grey on grey, not black on white. It is different from the letter-chart acuity that measures sharpness, and it can fall even when acuity looks fine.
These are self-screening tools for general awareness, not a medical diagnosis. Screen brightness, colour calibration and room lighting all change what you see. See an optometrist or ophthalmologist for any real concern, for a proper eye test, and urgently if vision changes suddenly.
Why it matters
Real life is full of low-contrast tasks: driving at dusk, reading in dim light, seeing a kerb in fog, spotting a step. Someone can read the smallest line on a letter chart yet still struggle in these conditions if their contrast sensitivity has dropped.
What lowers it
Contrast sensitivity naturally declines a little with age, and it can drop with cataract, glaucoma, some retinal conditions and after certain eye surgery. A clinic tests it with graded low-contrast charts. An online version is, again, only a rough screen because it depends entirely on your screen and lighting.
Other eye checks
Colour vision (colour blindness)
How the dotted-plate colour test works, and what red–green colour vision deficiency actually is.
Near vision and reading
Why small print gets harder from your forties, and what a reading check does.
Astigmatism
When the eye is shaped more like a rugby ball than a football, blurring near and far.
The Amsler grid
A simple grid used to watch the central retina — wavy or missing lines are a reason to act.
Source: General optometry references. A screen-based check is not a diagnosis — see an optometrist or ophthalmologist. · checked 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
I passed the letter chart — why do I struggle at night?
Sharpness (acuity) and contrast sensitivity are different. You can have good acuity but reduced contrast sensitivity, which shows up most in dim, low-contrast conditions like night driving. An optometrist can test it properly.
Can contrast sensitivity be improved?
It depends on the cause. Treating a cataract, for example, often restores it. Get the underlying reason assessed rather than relying on a screen test.
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