Comparison of the effectiveness of a nondilated versus dilated fundus examination in the pediatric population.
BACKGROUND
A study was performed to compare the clinical effectiveness of a nondilated fundus examination to a dilated fundus examination.


METHODS
The population consisted of 90 pediatric patients aged 5 to 16 years. Subjects were randomly selected from patients presenting for a routine eye examination at the Eye Institute of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Direct ophthalmoscopy was performed on the subjects before pupillary dilation while direct and binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy were performed post-dilation.


RESULTS
Twenty-three patients (25.5 percent) had one or more posterior pole anomalies not detected by the nondilated pupil examination. A total of 30 posterior pole anomalies were not detected by the nondilated pupil examination. Forty-six patients (51 percent) had one or more peripheral anomalies not detected by the nondilated pupil examination. Sixty-nine total peripheral anomalies were not detected by the nondilated pupil examination.


CONCLUSIONS
A dilated fundus examination provides a more effective clinical method for evaluating intraocular health in a pediatric population.
Parisi
M L
ML
Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Philadelphia, 19141, USA.
Scheiman
M
M
Coulter
R S
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003519:Cyclopentolate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy / Q000379:methods; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014331:Tropicamide / Q000008:administration & dosage
D009184:Mydriatics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010656:Phenylephrine; D003519:Cyclopentolate; D014331:Tropicamide