ACCOMMODATIVE RESPONSE IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG-ADULTS USING DYNAMIC RETINOSCOPY

Accommodation in children and non-verbal adults can be difficult to as sess using standard subjective techniques and hence is often not evalu ated, By using a modification of Nott dynamic retinoscopy, rapid objec tive evaluation of accommodative function is possible, In this study, accommodative response to a range of accommodative demands was measure d in 55 normally sighted children and young adults using dynamic retin oscopy. The data were found to fall into four age groupings: 3-10-year -olds' mean accommodation was accurate to within 0.5 D, although 3-5-y ear-olds over-accommodated slightly, while 6-10-year-olds under-accomm odated. Subjects over 10 years of age showed under-accommodation which increased with accommodative demand. These norms are presented for cl inical use against which measurements on an individual paediatric or n on-verbal patient can be compared, Future studies will determine wheth er specific patient populations, e.g. patients with cerebral palsy or low vision, demonstrate normal or reduced accommodation. Copyright (C) 1996 The College of Optometrists.