Performance of the plusoptiX S04 photoscreener for the detection of amblyopia risk factors in children aged 3 to 5

PURPOSE Our previous study of the plusoptiX S04 photoscreener included children ages 6 months to 16 years and allowed us to modify the referral criteria retrospectively to improve specificity and sensitivity. In this study we used the new referral criteria and tested children ages 3 to 5 years, a more appropriate range for a pediatric vision screening program. METHODS A total of 153 children were examined consecutively. Each patient was screened with the plusoptiX S04 photoscreener on the same day as part of a comprehensive pediatric ophthalmology examination. RESULTS Fifty-three percent of the patients were found to have amblyopia or amblyopia risk factors during the pediatric ophthalmology examination. By using these results as our standard, we calculated that the plusoptiX S04 photoscreener offered a sensitivity of 99%, specificity of 82%, false-positive rate of 18%, and false-negative rate of 1.2%. These findings were similar to the results we achieved in our previous study with a broader age range. CONCLUSIONS The plusoptiX S04 is an automated photoscreening device that takes multiple images in less than 30 seconds, determining a noncycloplegic refraction. Sensitivity and specificity suggests that testing the plusoptiX S04 for applications in a general screening environment should be considered. (J AAPOS 2010;14:147-149)