A comparison of photorefraction and retinoscopy in children.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of photorefraction measurement obtained with a Plusoptix CR03 to those of cycloplegic retinoscopy as a standard refraction method in children.


METHODS
We assessed the refractive status of 204 eyes in 204 healthy children. The values acquired via photorefraction (noncycloplegic refraction) with a Plusoptix CR03 device were compared with those obtained via cycloplegic retinoscopy. Both methods were used in the same eyes and in all children. The paired tt-test and Pearson's correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
The mean age was 7.1 +/- 2.4 years (range, 9 months to 14 years). The average spherical refractive error was +0.05 +/- 0.65 D for photorefraction versus +0.75 +/- 0.77 D for cycloplegic retinoscopy (average difference, -0.70 D; p < 0.001), with moderate correlation between measures (r = 0.63). The average cylinder power was +0.43 +/- 0.38 D for photorefraction versus +0.29 +/- 0.38 D for cycloplegic retinoscopy (average difference, +0.14 D; p < 0.001), with moderate correlation between measures (r = 0.70). The average spherical equivalent was +0.26 +/- 0.63 D for photorefraction versus +0.90 +/- 0.76 D for cycloplegic retinoscopy (average difference, -0.64 D; p < 0.001), with moderate correlation between measures (r = 0.63).


CONCLUSIONS
The Plusoptix CR03 device tends toward minus overcorrection in children, resulting in overdiagnosis of myopia. Studies of a population of subjects with a larger range of ametropia will be required to validate this instrument as a screening tool.
Erdurmus
Mesut
M
Department of Ophthalmology, Fatih University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. merdurmus@yahoo.com
Yagci
Ramazan
R
Karadag
Remzi
R
Durmus
Mustafa
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D042262:Retinoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015351:Vision Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*