Refraction referral criteria for Hong Kong Chinese preschool children.
The major types of ametropia and visual problems for Hong Kong Chinese and Caucasian children are different. Consequently, the referral criteria developed for Caucasian children may not be applicable to Hong Kong children. Results of our study suggested that the referral criteria for Hong Kong children should be set as hyperopia of > or = +2.0 D, myopia of > or = 1.0 D, astigmatism of > or = 1.0 D and anisometropia of > or = 1.25 D. Sensitivity using only these criteria for abnormal refraction in identifying children with amblyopia, esotropia, exotropia and subnormal vision (< 6/12) was respectively 100%, 84.6%, 45.2% and 95.7%. The overall sensitivity for the identification of visual problems was 86.1% and the overall specificity was 76%. If a cover test or a Hirschberg test was introduced into the screening battery so that all the strabismic cases were identified. the overall sensitivity would increase to 98.6%.
Department of Optometry and Radiography, Hong Kong Polytechnic.
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Chan
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Edwards
D000550:Amblyopia / Q000175:diagnosis; D015858:Anisometropia / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013285:Strabismus / Q000175:diagnosis; D014787:Vision Tests; D015348:Vision, Binocular; D014792:Visual Acuity