Trends in refractive error changes in children with mixed astigmatism

Objective To assess trends in refractive error changes in children with mixed astigmatism.Methods Thirty-eight patients with mixed astigmatism between 4 and 9 years of age(66 eyes) were examined annually over a 4-year period with cycloplegic retinoscopy after administering 1% atropine.Refractive status data were collected and trends of in refractive error changes were analyzed,including spherical equivalence and astigmatism.Results Most children with mixed astigmatism had with-the-rule astigmatism.Visual defects caused by mixed astigmatism can be satisfactorily corrected with spectacles,and the average best-corrected visual acuity was better than 0.6.The spherical equivalent hyperopic refractive values decreased and myopic refractive values increased each year(P0.01),but astigmatic values and the axis remained stable over time(P0.05).Conclusion Refractive error with mixed astigmatism mainly occurs in children, and these children can change to simple myopic astigmatism as their age.