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Updated: May 27, 2026
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Simulating the Mechanics of Lens Accommodation via a Manual Lens Stretcher
Published on: February 23, 2018
The accommodative lag of the young hyperopic patient
T Rowan Candy1, Kathryn H Gray, Christy C Hohenbary
1Indiana University School of Optometry, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. rcandy@indiana.edu
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|November 30, 2011
Summary
Infants and young children with normal vision and low hyperopia show consistent accommodative accuracy. Higher hyperopia, amblyopia, or strabismus in children indicates abnormal visual experience with variable accommodative lags.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric ophthalmology
- Visual development
- Refractive error assessment
Background:
- Understanding early visual development is crucial for identifying potential developmental abnormalities.
- Accommodative accuracy, the ability of the eye to focus, is a key indicator of visual health in infants and children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish baseline accommodative accuracy in infants and young children before any clinical intervention.
- To differentiate between normal and abnormal visual experiences based on accommodative responses.
Main Methods:
- Nott retinoscopy was employed on 111 infants and children in binocular conditions.
- A cartoon image target was used at a 50 cm viewing distance to assess accommodation.
Main Results:
- Accommodative accuracy showed no correlation with age (4-90 months).
- Clinically normal subjects (n=71) exhibited a mean accommodative lag of 0.34 diopters (D).
- Higher hyperopia (>4 D), amblyopia, or strabismus were associated with more variable accommodative lags, with ROC analysis showing high accuracy in detection.
Conclusions:
- Young children with normal vision and low hyperopia maintain consistent accommodative lags from early infancy.
- Variable accommodative lags in children with significant hyperopia, amblyopia, or strabismus suggest abnormal visual experiences.
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