Clinical measurement of amplitude of accommunication: a review

Accommodation is the adjustment in the dioptric power of the eye to focus the retinal image of objects at a range of distances. Amplitude of accommodation (AoA) is the maximum increase in optical power that an eye can achieve in adjusting its focus from far to near. It has been measured in routine clinical eye examination for many decades (Rabbetts 2007). This paper will describe and appraise current methods of measuring AoA and make recommendations for standardising clinical methods. The validity of norms of AoA that are used in optometric practice will also be reviewed.