Free Papers
Repeatability of manifest refraction performed by 4 optometrists with a standard protocol
Free Paper Details
First Author: S.Taneri GERMANY
Co Author(s): A. Rost S. Kießler S. Arba-Mosquera H. Dick
Abstract Details
Purpose:
To evaluate the intraexaminer repeatability and the interexaminer reproducibility of manifest refraction of myopic or myopic-astigmatic patients seeking refractive surgery after optimizing the ocular surface.
Setting:
Center for Refractive Surgery, Eye Department at St. Francis Hospital Muenster, Germany
Methods:
This retrospective study comprised patients attending at least 2 preoperative refractions before undergoing subsequent refractive surgery. Soft contact lenses had to be discontinued for at least 2 weeks and rigid contact lenses for at least 4 weeks. All manifest refractions were performed by 1 of 4 experienced optometrists using an automated phoropter according to our standard protocol. The first manifest refraction was performed after obtaining automated refraction without cycloplegia and measuring the spectacles of the patient. The second refraction was typically started with the first one.
Results:
The latest 2 manifest refractions of 1000 eyes obtained at 2 separate visits showed a mean absolute difference of 0.16 +/- 0.19 D (range: 0 to 1.38 D) in sphero-cylindrical equivalent. Stratification of eyes with both refractions performed by either the same optometrist or by 2 different optometrists did not reveal significant differences. Similarly, visual acuity showed variation between two visits in a low percentage of eyes with no clinically significant difference between the 2 groups.
Conclusions:
Reproducibility of manifest refraction of normal myopic eyes was approximately 0.16 D irrespective if refractions were performed by the same or two different optometrists. These results may be the theoretical limit of accuracy and demonstrate the importance of a standard protocol in obtaining manifest refraction before and after refractive surgery.
Financial Disclosure:
-
