Comparison of Lea Symbols Chart and Sheridan Gardiner Chart in Assessing Vision Screening among Pre-School Children: A Malaysia Perspective
Rokiah Omar BOptom, PhD*, Duratul Ain Hussin BOptom, MSc**, Victor Feizal Knight MBBS, MHP***
Affiliation : * Optometry & Visual Science Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ** Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia *** Faculty of Medicine & Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi Camp, Malaysia
Objective : Compare the performance of Lea Symbols and Sheridan Gardiner charts against the standard test chart used to
determine reduced VA during vision screening among pre-schoolers.
Material and Method: Seven hundred seventy five pre-school participated where 389 subjects were boys and 386 subjects
were girls were tested using the Lea Symbols chart and the Sheridan Gardiner chart. The mean age of the pre-school children
was 5.3 + 0.7 years old.
Results : The Lea Symbols chart showed a higher sensitivity (97.5%) compared to the Sheridan Gardiner chart (57.1%).
While the Sheridan Gardiner chart showed higher specificity (92.0%) compared to the Lea Symbols chart (45.0%).
Conclusion : The Lea Symbols chart offers a better pick-up rate of visual impairment during a vision-screening program
especially cases of amblyopia among pre-school children compared to the Sheridan Gardiner chart in Malaysia.
Keywords : Pre-school children, Visual impairment, Amblyopia, Lea Symbols chart, Sheridan Gardiner chart
