Clinical Comparison of Autorefractor versus Retinoscopic Refraction in Children according to the Age

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We analyzed the difference in values between noncycloplegic and cycloplegic autorefraction and refraction, as measured by ophthalmologist, in children according to age. METHODS: We classified the 84 children (153 eyes) whose best corrected visual acuity was better than 0.6 into four groups according to age. The first age group ranged from 29 to 57 months (36 eyes); the second age group ranged from 58 to 75 months (47 eyes); the third age group ranged from 76 to 95 months (36 eyes); and the fourth age group ranged from 96 to 121 months (34 eyes). The children were examined with an autorefractometer (Canon Auto Ref RK-2) and a retinoscope before and after cycloplegia. RESULTS: The children in all age groups tend to show more myopia in autorefraction than refraction regardless of cycloplegia. Also, differences in spherical component and spherical equivalents in noncycloplegic autorefraction and cycloplegic refraction were regarded as significant statistically (P<0.05) in all age groups. However, in all groups, none of the refractive values in cycloplegic autorefraction and refraction were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Refraction measurement should be recommended for cycloplegic refraction in children. It is suggested that cycloplegic autorefraction could be useful for the refraction partially.