OBJECTIVE REFRACTION TECHNIQUE: RETINOSCOPY

Course overview

RETINOSCOPY IS AN EXAMINATION TECHNIQUE THAT PERMITS OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT OF THE REFRACTIVE ERROR OF THE EYE. THE INFORMATION GLEANED FROM RETINOSCOPY CAN HELP DETERMINE THE BEST-CORRECTED VISUAL ACUITY AND MAY BE APPLIED TO SUBJECTIVE REFRACTION TECHNIQUES. RETINOSCOPY CAN ALSO PROVIDE QUALITATIVE DATA ON VARIOUS UNDERLYING OCULAR PATHOLOGIES, INCLUDING CATARACTS, CORNEAL ECTASIA, AND RETINOBLASTOMA. RETINOSCOPY REQUIRES PROVIDER TRAINING BUT VERY LITTLE EQUIPMENT; ONCE PROFICIENT, THE SKILLED RETINOSCOPIST PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT DIAGNOSTIC VALUE TO HEALTHCARE SETTINGS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES OR ACCESS TO SPECIALTY CARE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS, PROCEDURAL TECHNIQUE, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF RETINOSCOPY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE TEAM IN PROVIDING TIMELY AND QUALITY OPHTHALMIC EVALUATION TO PATIENTS ACROSS THE LIFESPAN.