A quick and objective measure of accommodative function

Ulster University’s Professor Kathryn Saunders has highlighted the importance of testing accommodation in children.

Speaking with OT about a tool for measuring accommodation in children, Professor Saunders emphasised that testing for accommodative deficits in those with special education needs is particularly vital.

“They are much more likely to have those problems but they are unlikely to report them,” she said.

The Ulster-Cardiff Accommodation Cube provides a target for the child with a variety of pictures, letters and numbers.

To use the tool, the clinician measures where the child’s eyes are focusing while they are looking at the cube.

Professor Saunders shared that the tool is particularly useful in people who might have difficulties responding to questions, such as young children and those with cognitive impairment.

“This is objective. That’s the benefit for me in my practice with young children and kids with special needs,” she said.

The cube is a useful tool, not just in special needs clinics, but in primary care clinics as well, Professor Saunders observed.

She shared the story of a Special Olympics athlete who was fitted with spectacles to illustrate the personal impact of identifying an accommodative deficit.

“We gave him a pair of glasses and he said, ‘This is so amazing. I can see the finish line’,” Professor Saunders shared.

The Ulster-Cardiff Accommodation Cube is manufactured by PA Vision.