STATIC STREAK SKIASCOPY (RETINOSCOPY) UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS AND IN CYCLOPLEGIA

This study was designed to estimate the accuracy of results obtained by static streak skiascopy. It included 58 children at the age from 5 to 18 years with refraction studied under natural conditions and 79 children at the age varying from 1 to 18 years with refraction evaluated within 3 days after atropinization. The results of static streak skiascopy were compared with the data obtained by skiascopy performed using a plane mirror or by a subjective study and autorefractometry. It was shown that the results of the measurement of sphere equivalent refraction under natural conditions and by static streak skiascopy were comparable with those obtained by other methods. Static streak skiascopy under natural conditions was shown to overestimate the degree of astigmatism by 0.55±0.6 dptr compared with subjective correction, the difference along the axis amounted to 3.23±0.59°. Static streak skiascopy under natural conditions and autorefractometry yielded comparable results. In the patients with cycloplegia static streak skiascopy revealed a 0.41±0.5 dptr higher degree of astigmatism than skiascopy with a plane mirror, the difference along the axis was 10-35°. This data was comparable with the results of subjective correction and autorefractometry. It is concluded that static streak skiascopy should be used either instead of skiascopy with a plane mirror or in the cases when autorefractometry is impracticable.

refraction in children, studies of refraction, retinoscopy, skiascopy