Validity and ease of use of a computerized Hess chart

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Optometry
• Vision Science

Background:

• Accurate assessment of ocular motility is crucial for diagnosing and managing strabismus and other visual disorders.
• Conventional methods like the Lees screen have been standard, but newer technologies offer potential improvements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the agreement between the computerized Assaf Ocular Motility Analyzer (OMA) and the conventional Lees screen for obtaining Hess charts.
• To evaluate the relative ease of use of the OMA and Lees screen methods from the patient's perspective.

Main Methods:

• Hess charts were generated for 65 patients using both the Assaf Ocular Motility Analyzer (OMA) and the Lees screen.
• Measurements from both methods were compared using a standardized scoring system.
• Patient-reported ease of use was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale.

Main Results:

• The OMA yielded significantly larger horizontal deviations for the right eye compared to the Lees screen (P = 0.0001).
• The Lees screen showed significantly larger vertical deviations for the left eye (P = 0.003).
• No significant differences were found for vertical deviations of the right eye or horizontal deviations of the left eye. Patients reported the OMA as slightly easier to perform (P = 0.046).

Conclusions:

• The Assaf Ocular Motility Analyzer (OMA) provides different measurements than the Lees screen in certain directions (horizontal right eye, vertical left eye).
• While not faster, the OMA was perceived as easier to use by patients.
• The OMA presents a potentially useful alternative to the conventional Lees screen for Hess chart assessment.