The impact of accommodation function on the difference between noncycloplegic and cycloplegic refraction in adult...

To investigate the impact of accommodation function on the difference between cycloplegic and noncycloplegic subjective and automatic refraction in adult myopes.

Myopic patients between 18 and 50 years old evaluated at Peking University Third Hospital who underwent cycloplegic and noncycloplegic automatic and subjective refraction were enrolled. Accommodation function, including negative and positive relative accommodation (PRA/NRA) and accommodation response (binocular cross cylinder, BCC) was examined.

Of the 3268 individuals enrolled, the mean age was 27.3 ± 6.9 years, and 34.8% of participants were male. The noncycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE) was 0.23 ± 0.29 D and 0.64 ± 0.61 D more myopic than cycloplegic subjective and automatic refraction. Adjusting for associated factors, participants with at least 0.50 D of more myopia SE refraction by noncycloplegic subjective refraction were more likely to be older (odds ratio [OR], 1.029; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.013-1.045) and with insufficient (OR, 1.514; 95% CI, 1.093-2.096) and excessive (OR, 2.196; 95% CI, 1.538-3.137) NRA value. The automatic refraction SE difference of at least 1.00 D more myopia was more likely to be found in individuals with older age (OR, 1.036; 95% CI, 1.022-1.050) and accommodative lead (OR, 1.255; 95% CI, 1.004-1.568).

A quarter of adult myopes had at least 0.50 and 1.00 D of subjective and automatic SE difference with cycloplegia. The accommodation function significantly affects the difference between cycloplegic and noncycloplegic refraction. Investigating the differences in refraction measurement guarantees the proper use of cycloplegia in adults for myopia correction.