Accuracy of noncycloplegic refraction performed at school screening camps

• Main Authors: Rolli Khurana, Shailja Tibrewal, Suma Ganesh, Rajoo Tarkar, Phuong Thi Thanh Nguyen, Zeeshan Siddiqui, Shantanu Dasgupta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Ophthalmology
• Subjects: Noncycloplegic refraction; refraction; school screening; uncorrected refractive errors
• Online Access: http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2018;volume=66;issue=6;spage=806;epage=811;aulast=Khurana
• ISSN: 0301-4738; 1998-3689

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare noncycloplegic refraction performed in school camp with that performed in eye clinic in children aged 6–16 years. Methods: A prospective study of children with unaided vision <0.2 LogMAR who underwent noncycloplegic retinoscopy (NCR) and subjective refraction (SR) in camp and subsequently in eye clinic between February and March 2017 was performed. A masked optometrist performed refractions in both settings. The agreement between refraction values obtained at both settings was compared using the Bland–Altman analysis. Results: A total of 217 eyes were included in this study. Between the school camp and eye clinic, the mean absolute error ± standard deviation in spherical equivalent (SE) of NCR was 0.33 ± 0.4D and that of SR was 0.26 ± 0.5D. The limits of agreement for NCR were +0.91D to − 1.09D and for SR was +1.15D to -1.06D. The mean absolute error in SE was ≤0.5D in 92.62% eyes (95% confidence interval 88%–95%). Conclusion: A certain degree of variability exists between noncycloplegic refraction done in school camps and eye clinic. It was found to be accurate within 0.5D of SE in 92.62% eyes for refractive errors up to 4.5D of myopia, 3D of cylinder, and 1.5D of hyperopia.