Evaluation of the Spot Vision Screener for children with limited access to ocular health care

Purpose: To compare the sensitivity, specificity, and referral rate of the Spot Vision Screener (Welch Allyn Inc, Skaneateles Falls, NY) with the gold standard cycloplegic measurements acquired using the Retinomax in a population of underprivileged children and teenagers with limited access to medical care.

Methods: Children were recruited for the study by social workers in the vicinity of Robert Debre Hospital, Paris, France. Refractive errors (hyperopia of ≥ +2.00 D spherical equivalent [SE]; myopia of ≤ -0.50 D SE; astigmatism of ≥1.00 D between the two main meridians; anisometropia of ≥1.00 D SE difference between eyes) were assessed using the Spot Vision Screener and the Retinomax. Sensitivity (true positive rate), specificity (true negative rate), and referral rate of this Spot Vision screening program were evaluated.

Results: A total of 82 eyes of 41 subjects (19 males) were included; mean age was 126 months of age (range, 48-246). The sensitivity of the Spot Vision Screener for the detection of refractive errors was 82.35%; specificity was 91.67%. The sensitivity of the Spot Vision Screener to detect hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia was 27.27%, 84.61%, 78.57%, and 66.67%, respectively. Its specificity to detect hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia was 100%, 98.55%, 89.71% and 94.29%, respectively.

Conclusions: The specificity of the Spot Vision Screener to detect refractive errors was found to be relatively high (>90%). However, its low sensitivity for hyperopia seems to remain a major limitation of the device, because hyperopia is particularly important to detect in children given its high prevalence and possible adverse consequences. Global programs using cycloplegic measurements should be considered an alternative.