Improving the measurement of visual acuity in clinical practice and clinical research

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منو

" Improving the measurement of visual acuity in clinical practice and clinical research "
Daniel Ashley Rosser

Document Type	:	Latin Dissertation
Language of Document	:	English
Record Number	:	54229
Doc. No	:	TL24183
Call number	:	‭U602737‬
Main Entry	:	Daniel Ashley Rosser
Title & Author	:	Improving the measurement of visual acuity in clinical practice and clinical research\ Daniel Ashley Rosser
College	:	University of London, University College London (United Kingdom)
Date	:	2005
Degree	:	Ph.D.
student score	:	2005
Page No	:	288
Abstract	:	This thesis considers the relationship between the design of a visual acuity test and various aspects of its performance. Using contemporary test design theory, novel tests are developed and evaluated in an attempt to better meet the requirements of a visual acuity test most pertinent to clinical practice, clinical research, and population based surveys. The acuity test of choice in clinical practice is the Snellen chart, a test whose usefulness is limited by several design flaws. Clinical researchers favour the ETDRS logMAR chart which employs robust design principles, but is time consuming to use. A chart featuring an abbreviated ETDRS design was developed and its performance compared with that of the ETDRS and Snellen charts. The prototype chart allows acuities to be measured in half the time of the ETDRS chart with greater precision than the Snellen chart. A tumbling-E version of this chart has been successfully employed in population based surveys in Thailand, Bangladesh and Mongolia. It was noted during the study that the precision of even ETDRS acuities was relatively poor. A computerised version of the ETDRS test was developed and used to investigate the repeating and averaging of acuities as a means to improve precision. Whilst prolonging test time, the computerised test allowed acuities to be measured with improved precision. Optical defocus was investigated as a potential source of reduced precision in visual acuity testing. It was shown that even small degrees of defocus may significantly reduce test precision. An approach which considers test performance in terms of sensitivity and specificity was developed. A mathematical model was used to show that current methods of using estimates of precision to identify clinically important change, are overly optimistic. Predictions derived using the model were shown to agree well with empirical findings.
Subject	:	(UMI)AAIU602737; Biological sciences; Health and environmental sciences; Clinical research; Biostatistics; Medicine; 0308:Biostatistics; 0564:Medicine
Added Entry	:	University of London, University College London (United Kingdom)