Can the Bruckner test be used as a rapid screening test to detect significant refractive errors in children?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the suitability of Brückner test as a screening test to detect significant refractive errors in children.


METHODS
A pediatric ophthalmologist prospectively observed the size and location of pupillary crescent on Brückner test as hyperopic, myopic or astigmatic. This was compared with the cycloplegic refraction. Detailed ophthalmic examination was done for all. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Brückner test were determined for the defined cutoff levels of ametropia.


RESULTS
Ninety-six subjects were examined. Mean age was 8.6 years (range 1 to 16 years). Brückner test could be completed for all; the time taken to complete this test was 10 seconds per subject. The ophthalmologist identified 131 eyes as ametropic, 61 as emmetropic. The Brückner test had sensitivity 91%, specificity 72.8%, positive predictive value 85.5% and negative predictive value 83.6%. Of 10 false negatives four had compound hypermetropic astigmatism and three had myopia.


CONCLUSIONS
Brückner test can be used to rapidly screen the children for significant refractive errors. The potential benefits from such use may be maximized if programs use the test with lower crescent measurement cutoffs, a crescent measurement ruler and a distance fixation target.
Kothari
Mihir T
MT
Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Bombay City Eye Institute and Research Centre, 5 Victor Villa, Babulnath Road, Mumbai, India. drmihirkothari@yahoo.com
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019721:Ophthalmoscopes; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015351:Vision Screening / Q000379:methods