This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Certain screening tests work better in kids with hyperopia
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
ANAHEIM, Calif. – “Noncycloplegic retinoscopy and Retinomax have better sensitivity for detecting moderate hyperopia than other tests,” when used in children, according to Bruce D. Moore, OD, FAAO.
Here at an American Academy of Optometry-sponsored press conference, Moore discussed a paper he and his colleagues would be presenting on a comparison of currently used preschool vision screening tests in detecting children with moderate hyperopia, using data from phases 1 and 2 of the Vision in Preschoolers Study.
Moore said the 4,040 children studied were 3 to 5 years old and primarily involved in Head Start programs.
Screening tests were administered, then the children received comprehensive eye exams to identify amblyopia, strabismus, significant cycloplegic refractive error and reduced visual acuity, according to the study abstract.
“We used noncycloplegic retinoscopy, Retinomax autorefractor (Right Medical), Power Refractor 2 (PlusOptix), crowded Lea symbols visual acuity and Stereo Smile and compared the ability of screening techniques to detect the presence of either amblyopia or significant amblyogenic risk factors to the traditional exam,” Moore said at the press conference. “We broke the kids into 3 D to 6 D and 4 D to 6 D. We were looking for slightly lower or slightly higher degrees of hyperopia.
“Our results indicated that the best techniques to pick up significant hyperopia were noncycloplegic retinoscopy done by experienced pediatric optometrists or ophthalmologists and Retinomax,” he continued.
Moore noted that the Retinomax underestimates the power, “but does it in a consistent manner. People who have been using the Retinomax recognize that, and you can establish ROC [receiver operating characteristic] curves that help you recalibrate what the cutoff should be.”
Moore concluded: “Noncycloplegic retinoscopy is the best screening test for detecting hyperopia. Retinomax is almost as good. Current photoscreening technologies may have difficulty properly detecting children.”
The study abstract noted that preschool children with uncorrected hyperopia in these ranges studied had worse performance on a test of early literacy. – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO
Disclosure: Moore reported no relevant financial disclosures.