The authors conducted this study on 5320 pre-school (four to six-year-old) and 6475 school (seven to ten years) children to compare the results of final glasses prescription based on cycloplegic refraction with atropine to those of non-cycloplegic refraction. For younger children with mild, moderate and high myopia, the mean difference between cyclo and non-cyclo refraction was 1.21 ±0.90, 0.56 ±0.65 and 1.08 ±1.08D; and for hypermetropia was 1.58 ±0.90, 1.65 ±1.04 and 1.03 ±0.91D. All were significantly different. For older children with mild, moderate and high myopia, the mean difference between cyclo and non-cyclo refraction was 0.41 ±0.56, 0.38 ±0.52 and 0.70 ±0.81D; and for hypermetropia was 1.25 ±0.94, 1.33 ±0.99 and 0.89 ±0.90D. All were significantly different and there was a greater difference than for younger children. After cycloplegia, 62.5% of young and 11.3% of older children in the mild myopia group became emmetropic or hypermetropic. Glasses prescriptions based on non-cyclo refraction had higher corrections. The authors recommend cyclo refraction for all myopic children aged 4-10 years to avoid over prescription. Prescriptions were underestimated for hypermetropic, therefore cyclo refractions may provide greater accuracy.
Greater accuracy of cycloplegic refraction
Reviewed by Fiona Rowe
Evaluation of the necessity for cycloplegia during refraction of Chinese children between 4 and 10 years old.
CONTRIBUTOR
Fiona Rowe (Prof)
Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, UK.
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