Repeatability of two subjective accommodative amplitude measurements and agreement with an objective method

Background: The aim was to compare the repeatability of subjective accommodative amplitude (AA) measurements obtained using the modified push-up and minus-lens methods and determine the agreement with objective AA by an autorefractor.

Methods: The right eyes of 47 adults aged 22-30 years (mean 25.1 ± 1.9) were measured by subjective AA using the modified push-up and minus-lens methods. Subjective AAs with first sustained blur and unreadable criteria were obtained with an average of three consecutive measurements. Measurements of the objective AA were simulated by the minus lens using an open-field autorefractor. The repeatability of two subjective AA methods and the agreement among the different methods was assessed.

Results: The AA value was dependent on the measuring method (F = 139.68, p < 0.001). The AA of the minus-lens method with first sustained blur criterion (10.10 ± 1.71 D) was closest to the objective AA (9.01 ± 1.49 D). The minus-lens method with unreadable criterion had the best repeatability. The agreement between the minus-lens method and the objective methods was better than that between the modified push-up and the objective methods based on the difference and 95 per cent limits of agreement. The agreement was highest between the minus-lens method with the first sustained blur criterion and the objective method, which had the lowest average difference and a narrow 95 per cent limits of agreement.

Conclusions: The subjective minus-lens method was more accurate for assessing the subjective AA in adults than the modified push-up method. The minus-lens method with the first sustained blur criterion was the optimal method for subjective AA. The minus-lens method with unreadable criterion can also be applied to clinical measurements, although it was approximately 0.95 D larger than the minus-lens method with the first sustained blur criterion.