Modern methods to assess accommodation reflex (literature review)

Abstract

Background. Determination of reflex accommodation indicators is of particular interest, both from clinical and scientific points of view. However, the heterogeneity of methods and approaches for evaluation of results obtained makes it necessary to compare and confront them in details.Purpose: to summarize and systematize the literature-based data of modern accommodation measurement methods.Methods. The analysis of domestic monographs was carried out. The domestic and foreign articles on eLibrary and PubMed within the last 20 years were analyzed. The articles with an incomplete selection criteria and statistically unreliable results (p < 0.05) were excluded.Results. Though the measurements of reflex accommodation indicators by subjective methods are consistent with each other, they are overestimated compared to the results of objective studies. Among the objective methods, special attention should be paid to the open-field autorefractometers as they level possible instrumental accommodation that is typical for the closed-field autorefractometers. Regarding this, it is necessary to clarify the methods used in the studies of this direction. By taking into account the indicators of reflex accommodation for assessing pathological conditions and treatment results, it is necessary to consider relative (i. e., comparative) measurement values but not absolute ones.Conclusion. The analysis of literature sources showed that the modern approaches of reflex accommodation study were very different. The methods discussed in this review are suitable for both clinical and scientific practice application. However, a mandatory reference to the method used is required for a correct assessment of results.