Abstract
Purpose:
Hyperopia has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of amblyopia and strabismus among preschoolers. The purpose of this study is to compare uncorrected distance visual acuity (VA) measured with the VIP Crowded Single LEA Symbols® VA Test at 5 feet (VIP 5ft Lea) in 3- to 5-year-old Head Start children with versus without hyperopia.
Methods:
In VIP (Phase II), 1452 preschoolers were screened with the VIP 5ft Lea test by lay screeners. All children underwent comprehensive vision examination including threshold VA using the ATS single-surround HOTV letter protocol, cover testing, and cycloplegic retinoscopy by masked examiners. Hyperopia was defined as >+3.25D in the most positive meridian in one or both eyes. Uncorrected distance VA in the worse eye as measured by the VIP 5 ft Lea was compared for 1) children with hyperopia and those without and 2) children with hyperopia plus other visual conditions (amblyopia, strabismus, astigmatism, and/or anisometropia), those with hyperopia alone, and those without hyperopia.
Results:
Uncorrected distance VA measured with the VIP 5ft Lea test was significantly different between children with hyperopia (n=182, median VA 20/50) as compared to those without hyperopia (n= 1270, median VA 20/40)(p<0.0001). Uncorrected distance VA was also significantly different when compared among children with hyperopia plus other visual conditions (n=111, median VA 20/200), those with hyperopia alone (n=71, median VA 20/50), and those without hyperopia (p<0.0001 for comparison among the 3 groups, p=0.02 for comparison between children with hyperopia alone versus no hyperopia).
Conclusions:
Uncorrected distance visual acuity, measured with the VIP 5ft Lea test, is significantly lower in children with versus without hyperopia, even when not associated with other visual conditions.
Keywords: 547 hyperopia •
754 visual acuity