Repeatability of refraction and corrected visual acuity in keratoconus

Larry J. Davis, Kenneth B. Schechtman, Carolyn G. Begley, Julie A. Shin, Karla Zadnik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the test-retest phase of the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study was to determine the repeatability of the various parts of the CLEK Study protocol. This paper presents the test-retest parameters of the refraction protocol. Methods. We examined 138 CLEK Study-eligible patients on two occasions (median, 90 days; range, 22 to 268 days). All patients underwent subjective refraction on two occasions, and contact lens over-refractions were performed either over the patient's habitual rigid contact lenses or over a trial rigid contact lens equal in base curve to the steep keratometric reading in nonrigid contact lens wearers. Results. Mean interoccasion differences ± SD were -0.32 ± 2.91 D and -0.17 ± 1.39 D for subjective refraction sphere and cylinder power, respectively, and the mean absolute difference for subjective refraction cylinder axis was 18.1 ± 20.2°. The mean interoccasion difference ± SD for high-contrast visual acuity with subjective refraction was 0.38 ± 10.9 letters correct. Mean interoccasion differences ± SD were - 0.11 ± 0.81 D and 0.02 ± 0.67 D for contact lens over-refraction sphere and cylinder power, respectively, and the mean absolute differences for contact lens over-refraction cylinder axis was 11.6 ± 9.9°. The mean interoccasion difference ± SD for visual acuity with contact lens over-refraction was 0.50 ± 5.2 letters correct and 0.71 ± 6.9 letters correct for high- and low- contrast visual acuity, respectively. Conclusions. The repeatability of subjective refraction in keratoconus patients is good but somewhat lower than that found in nondiseased eyes. Only 36% of our repeat measures of sphere power from subjective refraction fell within 0.50 D of each other, compared with more than 90% in studies of normal eyes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)887-896
Number of pages10
JournalOptometry and Vision Science
Volume75
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1998

Keywords

  • Keratoconus
  • Refraction
  • Repeatability
  • Subjective refraction

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