ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The difference in the values between autorefraction and clinical refraction with or without cycloplegia in children were analyzed as a function of age. METHODS: One hundred and twenty five children (230 eyes) with myopia or hyperopia were classified into three age groups. Their ages ranged from 2 to 14. They were examined with a Cannon RK-5 autorefractor, and experienced personnel the clinical refraction before and after cycloplegia. Discrepancies beyond 0.5 diopter in spherical equivalent, spherical and cylinder power were regarded as being significant and the discrepancy rates (%) were calculated. The mean absolute differences in the values of each refractive component in myopia and hyperopia were also compared separately according to. RESULTS: All the differences by cycloplegia were significantly smaller in the myopia patients over 5 years old. However, only the discrepancy rates of the spherical equivalent and the sphere component between the clinical manifest refraction and the cycloplegic refraction were significantly smaller in the higher age groups. The comparisons between the clinical and autorefraction revealed significant difference between the age groups only in those with myopia with cycloplegia. CONCLUSIONS: There were differences between the cycloplegic refraction and non-cycloplegic refraction values particularly in myopia patients under five years old and in all hyperopic patients. Autorefraction showed differences from the clinical refraction in both myopia and hyperopia regardless of their ages particularly in those without cycloplegia. Therefore, autorefraction and clinical refraction should be used with caution in children.