2. Content
Objective Refraction:
• Introduction
• Forms of objective refraction
• Retinoscopy
Steps
Swiping and Neutralization
Working distance
Types/Techniques of retinoscopy
1. Near retinoscopy
2. Dynamic retinoscopy
3. Static retinoscopy
Subjective Refraction:
1. Monocular subjective refraction
Best Vision Sphere
Duochrome test
Jackson cross cylinder
2. Binocular Subjective refraction
3.Correction for near vision
3. Objective Refraction
when the refractive error of an eye is determined without input
by the patient
The patient may be required to cooperate during the placement
of head and to fixate on a target for a short time, subjective
information is not obtained form the patient about the quality of
vision.
Purpose: To obtain an objective measurement of the patient’s
refractive state.
4. Forms of Objective Refraction:
Retinoscopy
Auto refractometer
Keratometry and axial length
5. Retinoscopy
Common used synonyms of retinoscpy are
“Skiascopy” and “skiametry” and other synonyms
occasionally seen in literature are “umbrascopy”
“pupilloscpy” “retinoskiascopy
6. Principle of retinoscopy: Foucault principle –
To convert the observed eye into a degree of
myopia that the image formed by the fundus
infront of observed eye coincides with the
effective pupil of the examiner (peephole of
retinoscope)
To bring the far point of patient’s eye into the
peephole of retinoscope
8. Working Distance
Is the distance between the Retinoscope and the patient’s eye
It should be compensated on the gross retinoscopy to get net
retinoscopy value and start subjective refraction
It can be calculated by this formula : D= 1/F Where F is = the power
of the lens .
E.g. F= 1.50D; so the working distance is 0.65mm
1.50 /65cm (arm’s length ) so = 0.66 X 100=66 cm
AND also,
The power factor that is to compensated to get the net retinoscopy
can be calculated by using formula:
Power to be compensated =1/working distance in metre
Eg: At 50cm(0.5meter) the power compensated is 1/0.5= 2Diopter
9. Fixation target for the patient
1. For static retinoscopy: 20/200 or 6/60 in Snellen chart.
2. For dynamic retinoscopy: retinoscope head
3. For near retinoscopy: depends on the type of retinoscopy done
10. Procedure
Tell the patient about the examination
Ask the patient to fixate on target
The pt.’s right eye should be examined with the examiner’s
right eye with the retinoscope in right hand & vice versa.
WD should be maintained an arm length distance (66 /50cm)
The examiner should keep both eyes open.
The examiner should stay as close to visual axis as possible.
The examiner should not obstruct the view of target.
Start sweeping the meridia (at 90, 180,45 and 135 degree)
To sweep horizontal meridian, make the reflex vertical
To sweep vertical meridian, make the reflex horizontal
11. For spherical refractive error:
A single lens neutralizes all the meridia
For regular astigmatic error:
Swipe all the meridia, find meridia which have
power and after neutralizing a meridian go to the
meridian 90 degree to the neutralized meridian.
Neutralize other meridian also. Can be done using:
1. Two sphere lenses
2. One spherical lens and other cylindrical lens
12. Skewing and straddling
Skew phenomenon: if we swipe the streak off axis, the
reflex will tend to travel along the correct axis. This
guide us to back on the correct axis.
Straddling the axis: if there is regular astigmatism,
when one meridian has been neutralized, the meridian
exactly 90deg away will have the strongest & most
defined reflex. The streak turned to 45deg off axis both
side & if the axis correct with of reflex will same in this 2
position.
13. Properties of reflex
Movement With Need more plus
Against Need more minus
Brightness Dim Far from neutralization
Bright Close to neutralization
Width Narrow Far from neutralization
Wide Close to neutralization
Speed Slow Far from neutralization
Fast Close to neutralization
14. Neutralization
In case of myopia
Add –ve lenses till it get neutralizes
In case of hyperopia
Add + lens till it get neutralizes
Checking neutrality:
1. Changing working distance
2. Changing the light beam from divergent to
convergent
3. Adding +0.25DS and -0.25DS
15. Picture courtesy- Google images from:
1. Wades Optical Ltd (Prosec-Bucknell University
2. Springer Link
17. Near Retinoscopy
Mohindra introduced a technique of non-cycloplegic
retinoscopy that correlates somehow with cycloplegic
Not a variation of dynamic Retinoscopy
Basically a substitute for cycloplegic refraction mainly
used in infants
Principle: The stimulus or fixation is the dimmed light
source of the retinoscope in a darkened room which
provide ineffective or neutral accommodative stimulus
Accommodation remains stable in this technique
18. Procedure
The room light is dimmed
The child is encouraged to fixate the retinoscope light
Babies will instinctively fixate the light
Retinoscope is performed monocularly
At WD =50 cm
Tonus factor is +0.75
The total adjustment factor will be :
Working distance + tonus factor = ( -2.00 D + 0.75 D)
= - 1.25 D
19. Indications of near retinoscopy
Frequent follow-up visits
A child is anxious about instillation of drops
A child is at riskfor an adverse effect to cycloplegics
Had an adverse reaction to cycloplegics previously
20. Dynamic Retinoscopy
Accommodation is active
No working distance power is added or substracted from the
finding
Goal is to determine accommodative Response
Also helps to determine the most appropriate near prescription
with testing conditions
21. Types of dynamic retinoscopy
Frequently used in clinical practice are:
Monocular Estimation Method (MEM)
Nott retinoscopy
Bell retinoscopy
22. Monocular Estimation Method(MEM)
MEM is done over patient’s optimal distance refractive
correction
The viewing target is the letters in MEM card or the retinoscope
head at patient’s working distance (at 40cm)
Dim the room light
Ask the patient to maintain fixation. In children ask them to
read the letters in the card to maintain fixation and
accommodation
Perform retinoscopy in usual manner but lenses should be
placed infront of the eye for least time
Record dioptric power of the lens that provides neutrality
Repeat the procedure on left eye
The normal dioptric value during MEM is +0.50 to +0.75DS, the
plus value above this indicates lag of accommodation and
negative lenses indicate lead of accommodation
23. Nott Retinoscopy
is done over patient’s optimal distance refractive correction
Dim or turn off the lights but use additional illumination so that
patient can see the target
Fixation target (near chart) is placed at patient’s near working
distance at 40cms and retinoscopy is done from 50cms
ask the patient to focus on letters on card
Perform retinoscopy as quickly as possible
24. Contd.
If neutrality is not obtained at 50cms, change the working
distance of retinoscopy. (further away if with movement at
50cms or closer if against movement is seen, until neutrality is
obtained)
Repeat the procedure in left eye
Interpretation: record the dioptric difference between near
chart and positon of retinoscope when neutrality is obtained. If
the neutrality point is behind the chart then there is lag of
accommodation but if the neutrality point is infront the chart
then there is lead of accommodation.
For instance: if near chart is at 40cms and the neutrality point is
at 57cms then the accommodative lag is: +2.50D-1.75DS
=+0.75DS
25. Bell Retinoscopy
Done over optimal distance correction
Retinoscope is kept is fixed and done at 50cms
The target is moved and patient fixates at the target
When target is moved closer to patient, there will be a point
where the motion of reflex changes from with to against
And when target is moved away from patient , there will be a
point where the motion of reflex changes from against to with
With to against motion is observed at 35-42cms
Against to with motion is observed at 37-45cms
Accommodative flexibility can be assessed by noticing the speed
of the change in motion of reflex
26. Static Retinoscopy
Dry retinoscopy
Wet retinoscopy
Retinoscopy performed when the patient is asked to
fixate the distance target ,with the accommodation
relax
27. Cycloplegic refraction
CYCLOPLEGICS are the drugs that paralyze the ciliary muscles
resulting in loss of accommodation and secondarily dilatation of
pupil
Purpose of cycloplegic refraction: Determination of total
refractive error during temporary paralysis of ciliary muscles
which doesn’t manifest on subjective non-cycloplegic refraction
Total Hypermetropia
Latent
Hypermetropia
Manifest
Hypermetropia
Facultative Absolute
Components of Hypermetropia based on correction by accommodation:
28. Indications of cycloplegic refraction
Young Children
Strabismus
Latent hypermetropia
Pseudo myopia
Young patients who have symptoms but not
significant refractive error
29. Additional Indications
Every nonverbal and non communicative children
Patient with high heterophoria
Accommodative esotropia ( atropine is best choice)
Accommodative asthenopia
Poor reliability b/w dry retinoscopy objective
finding with subjective finding.
30. Selection of Cycloplegics Drugs
Table courtesy: Roya Attar. All About Red Caps: Mydriatics and
Cycloplegics. Optometry Times. American Academy of
Ophthalmology
31. Dry Retinoscopy
Without use of cycloplegics
Patient is asked to look at distance for relaxing
accommodation
Mostly in adults above 14-16 years
32. Subjective Refraction
Examiner communicates with the patient and using patient’s
responses to the vision provided with various lenses
determines the optical correction that best suits the patient
When a subjective refraction is not possible, limited or
unreliable it is preferable to have more than one assessment of
objective refraction correction (eg. Retinoscopy,
autorefraction)
33. Purpose
To find the strongest plus lens or the weakest minus lens
which allows the patient to obtain the best possible visual
acuity
Modification is needed: to find the combination of positive
and negative lenses to get the actual acceptance for
correction of pt. refractive error
34. When to start subjective refraction?
After objective retinoscopy/Auto refraction
Accurate refining when objective retinoscopy is inaccurate
Media opacities, keratoconus, oblique and irregular astigmatism
Post mydriatic cycloplegic refraction
When retinoscope or auto-refractor is absent
35. STEPS OF SUBJECTIVE REFRACTION
1.MONOCULAR SUBJECTIVE REFRACTION
2.BINOCULAR BALANCING
3.CORRECTION FOR NEAR VISION
36. Steps of monocular Subjective Refraction
A. Best Vision Sphere
B. Jackson cross cylinder
C. Duochrome
37. Best Vision Sphere (BVS)
Best Vision Sphere is done by Fogging
technique
Starting point can be of fogging:
• retinoscopy value or
• Sphere component of autorefraction
or
• From Uncorrected Visual Acuity
Estimation method
Procedure:
Place enough PLUS lenses to
FOG vision to 6/18 or 6/12 line
Pointer: every line is about
0.25 diopter
Slowly reduce the plus power
until best vision
Remember: “Maximum plus
power for best visual acuity”
38. Jackson Cross Cylinder
Principle: To bring circle of least confusion on retina
Purpose: To refine astigmatic power and its axis
Procedure: circular optotypes are see and letters above the best Vn
• For Axis Refinement:
Handle is kept parallel to axis of cylindrical lens placed on trial
from over the patient’s eye. Rotate 10 degree to side where the
patient tells is clearer until the direction is opposite and rotate
back at 5 degree opposite to ask patient at which axis the patient
sees clear. Usually done with ±0.50DS.
• For astigmatic power refinement: The lines of JCC is kept
parallel to the axis of the lens. Ask pt. which side is clearer. Add
or subtract power according to the response of the patient until
the best corrected vision is got. Done with ±0.25DS
39. Duochrome
Principle: Chromatic Aberration
Starting Point :
Procedure:
• Ask the patient which letters are
clearer-Letters on red
background or letters on green
background
• If red background letters are
clear :Add -0.25DS
• If green background letters are
clear: Add: +0.25DS
Red clear= under corrected
myopia or over corrected
hyperopia
Green clear= under corrected
hyperopia/ over corrected
myopia
Practically: for myopes it is
under corrected unless special
cases, so red is kept clear
In color defficiency patients also
duochrome can be done as they can
not see the colored backgroud but
can see the letters thus can be
asked which letters are clearer
right side letters or left side letters;
or upper side letters or lower side
40.
41. Binocular Subjective Refraction
Purpose: To balance accommodation on both eyes
Common Methods:
1. Alternate Occlusion Method
2. Prism Dissociation method
3. Polaroid filters
42. Alternate Occlusion method
Procedure:
Begin with the result of monocular subjective
refraction
Fog both eyes with +0.75Ds or +1.00Ds
Ask the patient to alternately occlude the eye and
see the letter
Ask the patient which eye sees better
Add +0.25DS on the clearer seeing eye until equally
clear/blurr is seen
Remove +0.25DS binocularly until the vision again
6/6.
43. Prism Dissociation Method
Begin with the result of monocular subjective refraction
Fog both eyes with +0.75Ds or +1.00Ds
Place 3prism base down infront of right eye and 3 prism base up in other eye
Patient will see two charts separated vertically
The upper chart is seen by right eye and lower by left eye
Ask the patient to see a line above the clear vision
And ask, letters in which chart is better
Place +0.25 in clearer seeing eye until letters in both chart equally blur/clear
After the letters in the line is equally blur, start defogging binocularly until the
vision is 6/6.
Note: this method can be used for balancing accommodation if patient is
confused in right eye and left eye
44. Near Correction
For presbyopes near add is given according to their age and
near working distance
Pseudophakic children and adults
45. References
Primary care of optometry , page 183
Clinical procedure in primary eye care, Butterworth
Borish’s Clinical Refraction
Clinical refraction ,Chapter 18
Pediatric Refraction and spectacle prescription, Srijana Lamichhane Moderator Dr.
Bipin Koirala, Slideshare.
Objective, Subjective and Cycloplegic Refraction. Gauri S Shrestha. Slideshare.