Evaluation of The Auckland Optotypes in children with amblyopia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation and clinical validation of a new picture-based visual acuity test for young children, The Auckland Optotypes, compared with crowded logMAR letters and crowded Kay pictures: an observational study
IRAS ID
257161
Contact name
Annegret Dahlmann-Noor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Moorfields Eye Hospital
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN00000000
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Testing young children's vision is difficult and requires experienced examiners and suitable vision charts. Very young children cannot say or match letters, so often picture charts are used. However, the current available picture tests are not as accurate as letter tests.
A new picture vision test has been developed which has been shown to compare well to letter tests in adults and children with normal vision. However, it has not been tested in children with eye problems such as amblyopia (lazy eye). This is needed before it could be used in clinics or in research trials.
This study will compare a new picture vision test, The Auckland Optotypes (TAO) with tests usually used in UK clinical practice in children age 3-8 years with amblyopia.
We will ask 200 children (100 3-4 year olds and 100 5-8 year olds) with amblyopia to take part. Each child will have two vision tests, the standard vision test (pictures for 3-4years, letters for 5-8years) and the new TAO test. 50 children will have their vision tested with TAO a second time, by a second researcher; this is to assess how well TAO results compare across different examiners.
The vision test itself will last approximately 5 minutes. The entire study from informed consent to end of testing is expected to last approximately 30-45 minutes.
If the new TAO is found to compare well to the current vision tests it could impact children’s vision assessment in the future and improve diagnosis of amblyopia in young children. If it is comparable to the gold standard tests it could be used in future research projects to improve amblyopia treatment.REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0519
Date of REC Opinion
8 Apr 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion