Amblyopia detection by camera: Gateway to portable, inexpensive vision screening (calibration and validation of inexpensive, pocket-sized photoscreeners).

Background: Photoscreening can allow early detection of amblyopia. The Gateway DV-S20, and similar models of miniature, digital flash cameras, have similar optical dimensions to existing photoscreeners for less than $200.

Methods: These cameras were calibrated on known, threshold amblyogenic refractive errors induced by placing minus and toric contact lenses on a normal subject's left eye. The DV-S20 was then applied to known amblyopic patients. Students under age 7 were vision screened with patched acuity and sequential photoscreeners (MTI and Gateway).

Results: The digital cameras and the MTI photoscreeners produced similar magnitude interpretable crescents for amblyopiagenic refractive errors. They had very similar validation with sensitivities of 80-90% and specificities of 98% for serious eye disorders in known patients and school-aged children.

Conclusion: Combined with careful interpretation, pocket-sized, digital flash cameras provide a portable and inexpensive digital alternative for pediatric photoscreening. A category 3 CPT code (0065T) can be used for this valid, public health technique: Amblyopia Detection By Camera (ADBC).