You may download this document in PDF format:
PDF printable version of Table 4.5 Summary of results for eye tests (PDF 11 KB)
Question | Finding | Group | Summary sheet |
Do regular eye tests reduce the incidence of eye disease? | Community-based screening of asymptomatic older people did not result in improvements in vision. A cohort study in Melbourne found that regular eye examinations in people with normal vision only identified very few people (maximum of 0.88%) with vision loss that could not have been identified by symptoms and/or family history. Further research is needed. There are no RCTs to show the effectiveness or otherwise of population-based screening for glaucoma or for amblyopia in childhood. No studies were found that properly addressed the issue of frequency of eye testing. | Cochrane review (Level 1) Prospective cohort (Level III-2) 2 Cochrane reviews (more research needed) | 220 |
Do regular eye tests improve outcomes for diabetic retinopathy? | Regular eye tests appear to be effective for decreasing the incidence of diabetic retinopathy in high-risk patients (although it is not clear how frequent such tests should be), but there appears to be less benefit to frequent screening of low-risk patients or those with negative test results. | Large review from general practitioner-based diabetic population in the United Kingdom (Level 1) | 221 |
Group 1 — Clear association/causality
Group 2 — Possible association/causality (more research needed)
Group 3 — Lack of association/causality
Group 4 — Possible lack of association/causality (more research needed)
Group 5 — Conflicting results
Group 6 — Possible protection
Group 7 — No studies
b Summary sheets number refers to the results tables in Appendix 3.
Top of page