The value of sight-screening, a comparative study of the Rodenstock sight-screener and a clinical eye examination of 109 adult employees in a hospital.

A rodenstock sight-screener has been used in examinations of more than 20 000 employees in trade and industry by an organisation sponsored by Danish optical companies. In a following report it was stated, that a great deal of these people, because of reduced sight-function, would benefit from further examination by optician or ophthalmologist with prescription of glasses. On that background we undertook an examination of 109 adults working in our hospital. First they were tested with the Rodenstock sight-screener and afterwards they underwent orthoptic and clinical ophthalmological examinations in a blind design. The sight-screening included examination of vision for near and far, stereopsis, phoria, dark adaption and visual fields. We found some difference between our results and those published earlier. Furthermore we found bad clinical accordance. In conclusion, many people will be worried by this kind of sight-screening procedure and only few will benefit from it.