Amplitude of Accommodation among Students of a Malaysian Private University as Assessed Using Subjective and Objective Techniques.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to establish baseline data for amplitude of accommodation (AA) measured using both subjective and objective techniques in students at a private Malaysian university.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted including 34 healthy participants with a mean age of 22.26 ± 1.88 years. AA was measured using dynamic retinoscopy and the push-up, pull-away, modified push-up, and minus-lens techniques.

RESULTS

The mean AA scores for the push-up, pull-away, minus-lens, and modified push-up techniques and dynamic retinoscopy were 11.38 ± 2.03, 10.35 ± 1.64, 9.24 ± 1.18, 8.26 ± 1.44, and 7.2 ± 1.0 diopters, respectively. No AA measurements showed significant difference among ethnicities (Chinese, Malay, and Indian). This study suggested that AA obtained using push-up ( = 0.005) and pull-away ( = 0.017) methods and dynamic retinoscopy ( = 0.041) were significantly different according to sex. No significant difference was observed in AA for the minus-lens ( = 0.051) and modified push-up ( = 0.216) techniques by sex. A moderately negative correlation was found between AA and age for the push-up ( = -0.434, = 0.010), pull-away ( = -0.412, = 0.016), and minus-lens ( = -0.509, = 0.002) techniques and dynamic retinoscopy ( = -0.497, = 0.003). A weak negative correlation was found between age and AA measured using a modified push-up technique ( = -0.393, = 0.022).

CONCLUSIONS

Mean AA was highest for the push-up technique, followed by the pull-away technique, the minus-lens technique, the modified push up technique, and dynamic retinoscopy. The push-up and pull-away methods and dynamic retinoscopy showed a significant difference in measurement of AA between sexes.