Neceity of Cycloplegia for Aeing Refractive Error in 12-Year-Old Children: A Population-Baed tudy

Purpoe To compare pre- and potcycloplegic autorefraction in two eparate age ample of Autralian chool children. Deign Population-baed cro-ectional tudy of random cluter ample. Method Autorefraction wa performed before and after cycloplegia, uing 1% cyclopentolate, in the right eye of 2,233 12-year-old and 210 6-year-old children. Reult The mean pherical equivalent (EQ) difference between thee meaure wa 0.84 diopter (D) (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81 to 0.87 D), more hyperopic in pot- than precycloplegic autorefractive aement in the 12-year-old children and 1.18 D (95% CI 1.05 to 1.30 D) more hyperopic in the 6-year-old children. Precycloplegic autorefraction ubtantially overetimated the proportion of children with myopia, miclaifying 17.8% aged 12 year and 9.5% aged 6 year. Converely, precycloplegic autorefraction did not detect moderate to high hyperopia in 2.28% of 12-year-old and 17.14% of 6-year-old. Concluion Our finding reinforce the importance of uing cycloplegic autorefraction in children up to age 12 year.