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Evolution of accommodative function and development of ocular movements in children

R Jiménez1, M D González, M A Pérez

  • 1Departamento de Optica, Facultad de Ciencias, C/Campus Fuentenueva, s/n, 18071, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain. raimundo@ugr.es

Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics : the Journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)
|March 19, 2003
PubMed

Insights

This study tracked visual development in children aged 6-12. Key findings reveal continuous changes in accommodative amplitude and saccadic movements, with distinct age-related trends for visual functions.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology and Optometry
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Vision Science

Background:

  • Understanding the typical development of visual functions in children is crucial for identifying potential issues.
  • Normative data for accommodative function and ocular motor development are essential for pediatric eye care.
  • Previous research has not comprehensively detailed age-specific trends across multiple visual parameters in a large pediatric cohort.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the evolution of accommodative function and ocular motor development in a non-clinical pediatric population.
  • To establish age-specific normative values for key visual parameters in children aged 6-12 years.
  • To identify distinct developmental trends in accommodative amplitude, facility, response, and saccadic movements.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 1056 non-clinical subjects aged 6-12 years.
  • Assessment of accommodative amplitude (modified dynamic retinoscopy) and saccadic movements (Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) test).
  • Measurement of accommodative facility (+/-2.00 D flippers) and accommodative response (Monocular Estimation Model (MEM) retinoscopy).

Main Results:

  • Accommodative amplitude and saccadic movement efficiency showed continuous improvement with age.
  • Accommodative facility (monocular and binocular) demonstrated distinct developmental patterns, necessitating division into two age groups (6-7 and 8-12 years).
  • Accommodative response (lag) and direct saccadic movement observation showed no significant age-related differences, establishing a single mean reference for the cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Visual development follows distinct age-related trajectories, with continuous changes in amplitude and saccadic skills, and group-specific patterns for facility.
  • Normative data were established for accommodative amplitude, facility, response, and saccadic movements in children aged 6-12 years.
  • These findings provide valuable reference values for pediatric optometric assessments and the early detection of visual development deviations.

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