Free-space accommodative response and minus lens-induced accommodative response in pre-school children.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the accommodative accuracy of pre-school children between free-space accommodative stimulus and minus lens-induced accommodative stimulus.


METHODS
The accommodative responses of 59 pre-school children, ages 2 to 5 years, were measured objectively with a Canon Autoref R-1 under two different conditions, giving an optical accommodative stimulus of 1 D; first, viewing a target placed 100 cm away (free-space stimulus), and second, viewing a distant target through a -1.00 D lens.


RESULTS
The mean lag of the accommodative response for the free-space accommodative stimulus is 0.24 D, while the mean lag of the accommodative response with the minus lens-induced accommodative stimulus is 0.69 D. The lag of accommodative response for free-space accommodative stimulus is significantly lower than the lag of accommodative response for minus lenses.


CONCLUSIONS
Pre-school children can accommodate more accurately toward a free-space accommodative stimulus, as compared with minus lens-induced accommodative stimulus.
Department of Optometry, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A H
AH
Chen
D J
DJ
O'Leary
D000065:Accommodation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods