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ABSTRACT
The eye's maximum capacity to focus on close objects is measured by the Amplitude of Accommodation, which is an important factor in visual clarity and comfort, especially for schoolaged children. However, given that recent research has found disparities in its assessment in children, it is uncertain how closely its measures in this population match the age-accepted standards put forward by Hofstetter. This study was aimed at measuring the Amplitude of Accommodation in children aged 5-16 years and comparing data from each age to the average of Hofstetter's accommodative amplitude prediction for that age. Measurement were taken using the push-up to blur technique in 324 children (27 each from ages 5 - 16) comprising of 167(51.5%) females and 157(48.5%) males. The results showed no significant difference in the measured amplitude of accommodation values for children aged 8-11years ( 8 y/olds - p= 0.06; 9 y/olds - p= 0.595; 10 y/olds - p= 0.084; and 11 y/olds - p= 0.294); while the 5-7 year olds had a statistically significant higher Amplitude of Accommodation values (p= 0.000 for each of the ages) and the 12-16 year olds had a statistically significant lower Amplitude of Accommodation values (p= 0.000 for each of the ages) as compared with Hofstetter's average age-expected amplitude of accommodation predictions. It also showed a non-linear decline in accommodative amplitudes with increasing ages as well as no statistically significant gender-based difference in amplitude of accomodation values (p= 0.210). These variations in measured accommodative amplitudes of school-aged children from Hofstetter's predicted norms emphasize the need to apply Hofstetter's estimation of the normative amplitude of accommodation values with caution to prevent misinterpretation of conditions. Keywords: Amplitude of Accommodation, norms, Hofstetter’s equation.
