A Retroactive Study Comparing the Accuracy of the Pediavision Assessment Solution (PAS) Photo-Screener Refraction Capabilities on Special Needs Patients Against Other Refraction Methods

Purpose: To compare the PediaVision Assessment Solution (PAS) hand held auto
refractor against the Topcon KR-8900 auto refractor and the Canon RK- 3 auto refractor
in accuracy in helping to finalize prescriptions during mass screenings of special needs
patients.
Methods: Special Olympic athletes attending the summer games in Mount Pleasant,
Michigan, were given a full comprehensive optometric vision screening over a three-day
period. Over 1,000 athletes were given exams and 217 random exams were chosen to
compare the accuracy ofthe PediaVision Assessment Solution to the Topcon KR-8900
and Canon RK-3 auto refractors in helping finalize prescriptions. If there were no final
prescriptions written because of emmetropia, then those results were not counted. The
older prescription was used to compare results if there was no change in the
prescription. Three separate areas were evaluated: spherical power, cylinder power and
cylinder axis. The pass/fail criteria were set as: +/-1.00 diopter off the final sphere,+/-
0. 75 diopters off the final cylinder power, and +/- 10 degrees off the final axis.
Results: Essentially all three auto refractors performed comparably. The PediaVision
Assessment Solution had the lowest accuracy compared to the Topcon KR-8900 and the Canon RK-3. All three had low accuracy comparing the cylinder axis; however all three performed better in accuracy of the final cylinder power and sphere power.
Conclusion: For large screenings, especially if dealing with a demographic that may not
be able to give you reliable responses, it is essential to have multiple ways to evaluaterefractive error. All three devices offer moderately accurate objective prescriptions that can aid in finalizing the spectacle prescription. The PediaVision Assessment Solution however offers additional screening tests that could further assist special needs screenings and help in possibly diagnosing abnormalities that may be otherwise missed.