Comparing distance visual acuity measurement with a novel eye chart and the Landolt C chart in a population of children aged 6-18 years.

PURPOSE: The Handy Eye Chart™ is designed to assist in evaluating the visual acuity of patients with non-standard communication styles. The Handy Eye Chart™ has been previously validated against the early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) chart. The aim of this research is to compare visual acuity outcomes with The Handy Eye Chart™ against the international gold standard, the Landolt C chart, in a population of children.

METHODS: Sixty participants between the ages of 6 and 18 were recruited at the Pediatric Section of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Emory Eye Center. Visual acuity was evaluated using The Handy Eye Chart™ and the Landolt C Chart, altering the order of administration between charts. The visual acuity data were compared using t test, linear regression, and Bland-Altman analysis.

RESULTS: The mean difference in visual acuity was 0.02 logMAR (CI 0.009-0.04, p = 0.002). The correlation coefficient was 0.98. The Bland-Altman analysis shows the 95% limits of agreement between the charts to be -0.14 to 0.09 logMAR.

CONCLUSIONS: The Handy Eye Chart™ is a valid measure of visual acuity when compared with the international gold standard, the Landolt C Chart.