2009 Volume 38 Pages 197-201
[Purpose] The Hirschberg test is the most common procedure for the screening of abnormal eye position. But this method is usually difficult to evaluate the patient of infants. We report a new method of screening test for abnormal eye position using a digital camera. And we also indicate that this new method is significant in measuring and recording the deviation in the primary position and in the cardinal positions of gaze.
[Subjects and Methods] Subjects were 43 patients who were suspected to have the abnormal eye position at the first visit to our clinic. The age ranged from 2 months to 6.3 years, average 1.5 years. We ordered patient’s family to snap the pictures of patient according to the two types of illustration (one for baby, another for infants). In the illustrations, we showed how to photograph for recording the primary eye position and the cardinal positions of gaze. We evaluated the pictures by using the enlargement function of a digital camera.
[Results and Conclusions] At the first, 15 out of 43 patients were evaluated to have some abnormal eye positions, and 18 out of 43 patients not to have any abnormal eye positions. But other 10 patients could not be evaluated. After using our new method, 25 out of 43 patients could be evaluated to have some abnormal eye positions and 16 out of 43 patients could be evaluated as orthophoria. Only 2 patients could not be evaluated. Our new method is very useful as a screening test for the abnormal eye positions. Especially for the patients of baby and infant, we can easily evaluate and record whether or not the patients have some abnormal eye positions.
