DIAGNOSTIC YIELD OF THE ROUTINE DILATED FUNDUS EXAMINATION

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the risk of errors of omission inherent in the elimination of the routine dilated fundus examination in asymptomatic patients presenting for routine eye checkups, or in p atients with purely refractive complaints. Design: The study design wa s a retrospective chart review. Participants: The authors reviewed the records of initial visits of more than 3800 patients drawn from the p ractices of 3 board-certified ophthalmologists with substantial genera l ophthalmology components. Patients with best-corrected visual acuity in either eye of poorer than 20/25, myopia greater than -3.00 diopter s, or other risk factors for disease of the fundus or optic nerve (suc h as ocular hypertension, glaucoma, previous ocular surgery, diabetes mellitus, and history of retinal detachment) were excluded. The author s identified 1094 such records that documented the findings of dilated fundus examination, including indirect ophthalmoscopy. Main Outcome M easures: The authors recorded the prevalence of all fundus abnormaliti es, of those deemed clinically significant, and those beyond the view of routine examination with the direct ophthalmoscope, Findings were s tratified by patient age. Results: Of the 1094 eligible records, 53 (4 .84%) had recorded fundus abnormalities. Of these, 23 were of no adver se ophthalmologic consequence and were considered clinically insignifi cant, Of the 30 (2.74%) potentially significant findings, only 3 were located beyond the view of routine examination with the direct ophthal moscope (0.274%; 95% confidence limits: 0.56%-0.80%), The prevalence o f fundus findings increased strongly with increasing patient age, from 2.4% younger than age 20 to 14.8% older than age 60, Clinically signi ficant findings increased from 0.8% younger than age 20 to 8.9% older than age 60. Conclusions: The authors estimate the rate of detection t hrough routine dilated fundus examination of clinically significant fu ndus lesions in asymptomatic patients at 2.73% (95% confidence limits, 1.86%-3.80%). One tenth of these are beyond the view of the direct op hthalmoscope, The prevalence of fundus abnormalities increases tenfold with increasing patient age.