Screening for amblyogenic risk factors using the PlusoptiX S04 photoscreener on the indigent population of Honduras.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the PlusoptiX S04 photoscreener (PlusoptiX GmbH, Nürnberg, Germany) compared with a gold standard pediatric ophthalmology examination for children seen during a medical missionary trip.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred five children were examined during a medical mission trip to Honduras. Patients included in the study were infants and children up to 17 years of age who sought treatment at the clinic for an eye examination.

TESTING

Each patient was screened with the PlusoptiX S04 photoscreener on the same day as part of a comprehensive pediatric ophthalmology examination.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Comparison of photoscreening results with those of comprehensive pediatric ophthalmology examination.

RESULTS

Fourteen percent of the patients were found to have amblyopia or amblyopia risk factors during the pediatric ophthalmology examination. Using these results as the standard, the PlusoptiX photoscreener was calculated to have a sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 98%, false-positive rate of 2.2%, false-negative rate of 6.2%, and positive predictive value of 88%. These findings were similar to the results achieved in a previous study with older children.

CONCLUSIONS

When evaluating children in the age group who are most likely to require automated photoscreening technology and who will benefit from mass screenings, the PlusoptiX S04 photoscreener is a very useful tool. It is a noninvasive, quick, objective, user-friendly, and portable device that provides the added benefit of software able to interpret the results immediately. It also seems to be a useful tool for medical mission work. Vision screening programs likely will find this a useful option when examining children.