Screening for refractive errors in 6-9 month old infants by photorefraction

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Optometry

Background:

• Refractive errors in infants can impact visual development.
• Early detection of refractive errors is crucial for preventing long-term visual impairment and strabismus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and practicality of isotropic photorefraction for refractive screening in infants.
• To determine the prevalence of refractive errors in a cohort of 6-9 month old infants.
• To assess the reliability of photorefraction compared to retinoscopy.

Main Methods:

• Isotropic photorefraction was employed for screening 1096 infants aged 6-9 months under cyclopentolate cycloplegia.
• Photorefraction measurements were calibrated against retinoscopic examinations.
• Follow-up retinoscopy was conducted to confirm identified refractive errors.

Main Results:

• Prevalence rates: 5% hypermetropia (>+3.5 D), 4.5% myopia, and 1.3% anisometropia (>1 D).
• Retinoscopic follow-up confirmed most diagnosed refractive errors.
• Photorefraction missed one small refractive error in 52 infants (approximately 4.7%).

Conclusions:

• Isotropic photorefraction is a valid and practical technique for infant refractive screening.
• Early detection of refractive errors via photorefraction holds potential for strabismus prediction and prevention.
• Further longitudinal studies are needed to assess the long-term benefits of early detection.