Skip to main content

Table 4 Type of study and outcome for quantitative studies on near visual acuity in 4–7 year olds

From: Assessment of near visual acuity in 0–13 year olds with normal and low vision: a systematic review

Reference

Type of study

Number of participants, group (and age).

Method

Outcome

Heller 1974 [25]

Observational

n = 40

Group = NV

Age = 2 ½–6 years

Test: Binocular near point acuity test card

Optotype spacing: 2× letter size (edge-to-edge)

Distance: 33 cm

Response: Verbal.

No validation against existing charts, just determination whether 20/20 acuity was achievable with the chart. This was the case.

Ismail 1981 [32]

Cross sectional

n = 4239

Group = NV

Age =5.57 years (mean)

Test: Mono- and binocular near and distance (Sheridan-Gardiner single letter test)

Optotype spacing: not specified

Distance: not specified.

Threshold: not specified.

Response: not specified.

N5 and N6* (20/20 or 20/30) were taken as normal. Children with vision of 20/40 or lower were referred.

99.2% achieved normal vision. In the 12 children with N8 or worse low vision aids were considered.

Hohmann 1982 [31]

Cross sectional

n = 62

Group = NV

Age = 6–12 years

Test: Binocular Landolt C-test

Range: 0.1–1.4 (decimal acuity)

Spacing: 2.6′ and 17.2′

Distance: 40 cm (and 6 m)

Threshold: 88–94%

Response: Verbal or matching

The majority of subjects had vision of 1.4 (decimal).

Maximum acuity uncrowded optotypes at 7 years and crowded optotypes at around 10 years.

Dowdeswell 1995 [23]

Cross sectional

n = 68

Group = NV

Age = 5;2–7;6 years

Test: Monocular Bailey-Lovie chart at 0.3 and 6 m

Range: 0.1–2.0

Spacing: 1× optotype size

Distance: 30 cm and 6 metres

Response: Not specified

See Fig. 3.

Lovie-Kitchin 2001 [30]

Cross sectional

n = 71

Group = low vision

Age = 7–18 years

Test: Binocular near text visual acuity (reading test based on the Minnesota Low Vision Reading Test) and distance visual acuity (Bailey-Lovie chart)

Spacing: not specified

Distance: 10 cm and 3 metres

Threshold: DVA scored per letter

Response: reading

Distance vision ranged from 0.10–1.28 logMAR and near text visual acuity from 0.12–1.47 logMAR (N 1.5-N24 at 10 cm).

Critical print size: 0.74–1.87 logMAR (N5-N64 at 10 cm).

Labib 2009 [29]

Cross sectional

n = 50

Group = low vision

Age = 5–15 years (mean age 11 ± 2.6 y)

Test: Monocular near (Keeler’s reading chart) and distance (Landolt C)

Distance: 25 cm

Spacing: Not specified

Response: Verbal

The near visual acuities ranged from A10 to A20, with the mean near acuity ± SD being A13.632 ± 3.17171.DVA ranged from 4/60 (0.06) to 6/24 (0.25), with mean distance visual acuity ± SD being 0.12 ± 0.12.

Boonstra 2012 [21]

Non-randomized controlled trial

n = 21

Group = low vision

Age = 3 ½–6 years

Test: Binocular LEA near chart

Distance: self-chosen distance, at 40 cm and at 3 metres

Spacing: 0.5 and 1.0× letter size

Response: Verbal

See Fig. 4.

Dekker 2012 [22]

Cross sectional

n = 62

Group = NV

Age = 4–12 years

Test: Binocular LEA line and single at near and distance

Distance: 0.3 and 3 metres

Spacing: 0.5 and 1.0× letter size

Response: Verbal

Distance vision crowding ratio (95% CI):

4–6y: 1.40 (0.88–2.22)

6–12: 1.31 (0.87–1.97)

Near vision crowding ratio:

4–6y: 1.01 (0.55–1.86)

6–12y: 1.01 (0.72–1.42)

Huurneman 2012 [27]

Cross sectional

n = 58/n = 75

Group = low vision/NV

Age = 4–8 years

Test: Binocular C-test and LEA line at near/C-test at distance

Distance: 40 cm and 5 metres (if children had acuity < 20/125 distance was reduced to 2.5 metres at distance).

Spacing: C-test: 2.6 and > =30; LEA line test 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 × letter size

Threshold: 60% (3/5)

Response: Verbal

See Fig. 3.

Huurneman 2013 [28]

Non-randomized controlled trial

n = 45/n = 29

Group = low vision/NV

Age = 4–9 years

Test: Binocular LEA version C-test + LEA line 50% at near; C-test

Distance: 40 cm and 5 metres (viewing distance was reduced if DVA was < 20/125)

Spacing: 2.6′ and ≥ 30′; 0.5× letter size

Threshold: 60% (3/5)

Response: Verbal

See Figs. 3 and 4.

Huang 2014 [26]

Cross sectional

n = 150

Group = NV

Age = 3–5 years

Test: Binocular near-vision chart for children 3–5 years and the Chinese standard logarithmic near vision chart

Distance: 25 cm

Spacing: 1× letter size

Response: Verbal

See Fig. 3.

  1. *N refers to size of the letters, where one point is 0.35 mm (1/72 inch). ** A1 refers to 20/20 vision at 25 cm