Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026
Using an Automated Hirschberg Test App to Evaluate Ocular Alignment
Published on: March 24, 2020
Evaluation of a hand-held autorefractor in children younger than 6
S el-Defrawy1, W N Clarke, F Belec
1Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Canada.
Insights
A portable autorefractor accurately measured refractive error in young children, showing agreement with traditional retinoscopy. This device is a useful tool for pediatric eye exams and vision screening.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Optometry
- Refractive Error Assessment
Background:
- Accurate refractive error assessment is crucial for pediatric eye care.
- Traditional retinoscopy requires skilled practitioners and can be challenging in young children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy of a handheld portable autorefractor (Nikon Retinomax) in a pediatric population.
- To compare autorefractor results with standard retinoscopy performed by experienced pediatric retinoscopists.
Main Methods:
- One hundred and two children aged 5 to 72 months were examined.
- Refractive error was measured using the autorefractor (with and without cycloplegia) and manual retinoscopy.
- Data were converted to h-space notation for comparison.
Main Results:
- High agreement was observed between autorefraction and manual retinoscopy for both spherical and cylindrical refractive errors.
- The agreement was consistent across the studied age range (5-72 months).
Conclusions:
- The Nikon Retinomax is a reliable instrument for estimating refractive error in children under 6 years old.
- This portable autorefractor can be a valuable tool for clinical settings, operating rooms, and vision screening programs.
Purpose:
To evaluate a hand-held portable autorefractor in a pediatric population and compare results with those found on retinoscopy by experienced pediatric retinoscopists.
Methods:
One-hundred and two children aged 5 to 72 months were examined with and without cycloplegia using an autorefractor, and the results compared with those found on standard retinoscopy by two ophthalmologists masked as to the autorefractor findings. Results were converted from conventional notation using plus cylinder to the h-space notation and compared in three-dimensional h-space.
Results:
There was remarkable agreement between the results found by autorefraction and manual retinoscopy using loose lenses or a phoropter. The findings were similar both for sphere and cylinder across the age ranges studied.
Conclusions:
The Nikon Retinomax is an accurate instrument to estimate refractive error in children younger than 6 and could prove useful in the office, the operating room, or as a screening device.
