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Table 1 “Subjective refraction data stratified by gender and age”

From: Biometry and visual function of a healthy cohort in Leipzig, Germany

 

Women

Men

 

n

Sphere [D]

Spherical equivalent [D]

Dioptric Distance to habitual correction [D]

Dioptric Distance to a 0.00D lens [D]

n

Sphere [D]

Spherical equivalent [D]

Dioptric Distance to habitual correction [D]

Dioptric Distance to a 0.00D lens [D]

20–29 years

24

−0.85 ± 1.64

−0.99 ± 1.64

0.45 ± 0.27

1.23 ± 1.48

26

−1.07 ± 1.39

−1.46 ± 1.46

0.43 ± 0.26

1.78 ± 1.16

30–39 years

19

−1.34 ± 2.06

−1.63 ± 2.17

0.32 ± 0.29

2.06 ± 1.79

20

−1.62 ± 2.29

−2.00 ± 2.35

0.46 ± 0.36

2.07 ± 2.31

40–49 years

32

−0.86 ± 1.93

−1.13 ± 2.00

0.50 ± 0.35

1.33 ± 1.90

29

−0.24 ± 2.13

−0.56 ± 2.11

0.41 ± 0.33

1.39 ± 1.75

50–59 years

19

+0.91 ± 1.22

+0.74 ± 1.17

0.52 ± 0.43

1.15 ± 0.79

19

0.16 ± 2.36

−0.13 ± 2.41

0.70 ± 0.50

1.64 ± 1.76

60–69 years

16

+0.63 ± 1.94

+0.24 ± 2.18

0.73 ± 0.36

1.68 ± 1.47

14

+1.07 ± 1.66

+0.68 ± 1.76

0.55 ± 0.17

1.27 ± 1.06

All

110

−0.42 ± 1.95

−0.66 ± 2.02

0.49 ± 0.35

1.45 ± 1.56

108

−0.47 ± 2.15

−0.81 ± 2.18

0.49 ± 0.35

1.64 ± 1.67

  1. Caption: Mean (± standard deviation) of sphere, spherical equivalent (SE) and dioptric distance (DD) to a 0.00D lens and dioptric distance of habitual spectacle correction to new subjective refraction, determined by best corrected visual acuity per age decade for women and men. SE (subjective) for the right eyes of 20–29 year olds was found to be −1.24 ± 1.55 D; 30–39: −1.82 ± 2.24 D; 40–49: −0.86 ± 2.06 D; 50–59: +0.31 ± 1.92 D; 60–69: +0.45 ± 1.97 D, see also Fig. 1. The hyperopic shift resulted in more emmetropic eyes in the 40–49 years decade, followed by a higher percentage of hyperopic eyes from 50 years onwards: 20–29: H = 4 %, E = 34 %, M = 62 %; 30–39: H = 8 %, E = 31 %, M = 62 %; 40–49: H = 8 %, E = 52 %, M = 39 %; 50–59: H = 45 %, E = 26 %, M = 29 %; 60–69: H = 50 %, E = 30 %, M = 20 % (% rounded to present full numbers). It is possible that some of the differences found between younger and older age groups may reflect other factors (e.g., changes in prevalence of refractive error) and therefore differences in refractive error observed may not properly account for changes in refractive error over time
  2. The dioptric distance to habitual correction specifies the average deviation of the subject’s habitual corrective lens (or no correction in-situ) to the optimum spectacle correction. The deviation of the habitual corrective state to its optimal corrective state, identified as part of the study, increased with increasing age and was greatest for older subjects. A second at-risk group for malcorrection was identified in the 20–29 age bracket, where about half a dioptre blur was measured
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BMC Ophthalmology

ISSN: 1471-2415

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