Week 9: Objective Refraction Flashcards
Describe what are autorefractors?
- Autorefractors automatically & objectively measures refractive error on patients
- Starting point for subjective refraction
- Fast with reasonable accuracy & repeatability (may be slightly over minus)
- Latest models provide keratometry measurements, displaying corneal mapping, detect corneal irregularities & measure IOPs
What different principles are based on the autorefractors?
- Badal Optometer
- Analysis of image quality
- Retinoscopic Scanning
- Scheiner Disc
- Photorefraction
Advantages & disadvantages of autorefractors?
Advantages:
- Quick, reasonable accuracy & repeatability
- Can be used by non-expert staff
- Works best in an unaccommodated eye
- Objective
Disadvantages:
- Doesn’t work well in media opacities, irregular astigmatism, latent hyperopia, people accommodating
- Cost
- Lack of portability
- Children & young hyperopes need cycloplegia (they accommodate)
- Calibration needed & can break down
What are the basic designs for the autorefractor?
- Infrared light source – 780 to 950 nm excellent transmittance through clear media
- Fixation target
- Based on the Badal Optometer and/or Scheiner Disc Principle
Explain the Badal Principle
Principle states that if the eye is placed at the back focal point of the (Badal) lens then;
a) Target image vergence is proportional to the distance of the target from the front focal point of the lens
b) Angular size of the image is independent of target vergence
What is the Badal optometer?
- Single positive lens (Badal lens), power F
- Target moves towards or away from the lens
- There is a change in vergence of the light hitting the lens
- No change in the magnification of the retinal image
- Linear relationship between target position & refractive error
Describe Analysis of Image Quality
- Infra-red radiation illuminates a test graticule
- If the image is correctly focused, it will pass through the mask, with a maximal proportion of the radiation reaching the detector
- Z’ > 0 for myopes, z’ < 0 for hyperopes
Describe Retinoscoping Scanning
- A chopper drum (C) directs a beam of infra-red radiation across the central area of the patient’s pupil in a manner similar to streak retinoscopy
- The retinoscopist’s eye is replaced by a detector system of two photoelectric cells (H, J)
- Like retinoscopy, speed & direction of the reflex are used to determine refractive error with lenses to neutralise the refractive error
Describe Scheiner Disc
- First proposed by Thomas Scheiner in 1619
- Based on a double pinhole being placed in front of the patient’s eye
- Most autorefractors use the Scheiner disc principle in a modified fashion
How does Scheiner Disc operate?
- Two infrared light sources are imaged in the plane of the pupil to simulate the Scheiner pinhole apertures
- Photodetector observes the degree of coincidence between the two images on the fundus
- The Badal system then moves the target to & from the Badal lens to focus the target on retina
- Final Rx is computed
- For emmetropic eye, a sharp spot image if formed
- For ametropic eye, two blurred spots are formed
Describe Photorefraction: Vision Screening
- A method to estimate the refractive state of patient’s eye
- Instantaneous test, it is an ideal test for children
- Quick & remote: useful for measuring refractive error on difficult children
What are the principles for Photorefraction
- A small point source of light is placed at the centre of the front of a suitable camera
- If the eye is correctly focused, the reflected light returns to the source & pupil appears dark in the photograph
- If not focused correctly, there will be an illuminated reflex visible around the source
- To determine the degree of ametropia, the camera must be defocused by a known amount
Describe Eccentric Photorefraction
- The light source is moved to the edge, or beyond the edge of the camera lens
- Like retinoscopy, a crescent of light may now appear in the pupil
What do you need to consider when measuring the rx with the use of Eccentric Photorefraction?
- Position of the crescent : if it appears on the same/opposite side of the flash, then the script is myopic/hyperopic respectively
- Size of the crescent: measurement of the size of the crescent can be used to calculate the degree of ametropia
Describe accommodation and fixation control in autorefractors
- Most autorefractors measure refractive error monocularly
- Proximal accommodation
- Photographic target
- Fogging lens used to relax accommodation
- Provides fixation target so refraction measured on optical axis