Functional Improvement with Red-Tinted Contact Lens in Pediatric Achromatopsia: A Case Report

ABSTRACT: Achromatopsia is a rare inherited cone dysfunction characterized by reduced visual acuity, photophobia, nystagmus, impaired color discrimination, and decreased contrast sensitivity (CS). This case report describes the clinical and patient-reported outcomes of red-tinted contact lens use in a child with achromatopsia. Baseline and postlens assessments included cycloplegic refraction, visual acuity, CS, and vision-related quality of life using a Turkish questionnaire adapted from the 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire for low vision and photophobia. After lens fitting, the patient reported reduced glare, improved comfort in bright environments, and better performance in daily visual activities. Questionnaire findings also suggested improvement in distance-related tasks, outdoor functioning, reading/writing comfort, and overall visual comfort. However, CS testing showed deterioration after lens use. These findings suggest that red-tinted contact lenses may provide meaningful symptomatic and functional benefit in pediatric achromatopsia, particularly by alleviating photophobia, even when objective CS does not improve.