Abstract:
Eye exam is critical for the detection of conditions affecting normal visual performance. People with refractive errors (ie, myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism) may require a prescription for corrective eyeglasses. For the detection of eye abnormalities, every effort should be made to ensure that eye examination is performed completely right as it should be by the eye care professionals (ophthalmologist and/or optometrist). Vision screening has to use the appropriate testing conditions, instruments, and techniques done by physicians, or eye care professionals. Recent research indicates that in Thailand over 90% of vision screening, eye examination, and corrective eyeglasses are made at the local eyeglasses shops. The objective of this study is to compare measuring diopter refractive error made in the local eyeglasses shops and those made by eye care professionals during eye examination before making corrective lenses for eyeglasses. In statistics analysis, within subject design is used to study how the measuring diopter might change over time and between subjects design is used to examine differences in measuring diopter from the local eyeglasses shops and the eye care professionals. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis are applied to assess the eye measurement system. Preliminary results from this study indicate that there are significant differences at 95% confidence level in measuring diopter obtained from eye care professionals and local eyeglasses shops. It might be implied that the revision of national standard for eye examination, vision screening, and corrective eyeglasses performed by eye care professionals is needed.