Repeatability of the Sbisa bar

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Repeatability of the Sbisa bar

• IRAS ID

  131254

• Contact name

  Michael Clarke

• Contact email

  michael.clarke@nuth.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Research summary

  This piece of research is being carried out to determine how repeatable a clinical test, known as the Sbisa bar, is in assessing the ability of children to ignore a misaligned (squinting) eye. Patching treatment is given to children with a misaligned lazy eye to improve their vision. During this treatment the Orthoptist monitors their ability to ignore the image from their misaligned, lazy eye using the Sbisa bar test. If the treatment begins to change the child’s ability to ignore their misaligned eye, the treatment is reduced or stopped as continuation could lead to the child getting double vision that cannot be corrected. Currently there is no evidence on the repeatability of the Sbisa bar test. This study aims to fill this gap to allow clinicians to interpret results appropriately when treating children with reduced vision due to a lazy eye.
  The Sbisa bar consists of 17 filters ranging from light pink to dark red. It is held in front of a patient’s better seeing eye whilst they look at a pen torch. Children aged 5-16 years with constant misalignment of one eye who ignore the image from the deviating eye are eligible. Participants will have a normal Orthoptic appointment which would include the Sbisa bar test, but will be required to have the Sbisa bar assessment two additional times. One assessment will be done by the same examiner to gain intra-observer, test-retest data and the other by a different examiner to gain inter-observer data. The order of the Sbisa bar testing will vary to avoid any bias and order effects. The study will be conducted with the Orthoptic Department in the Newcastle Eye Centre. Participants require no extra clinical appointments; however they will require a longer appointment (up to one hour instead of 30 minutes) as part of the study and will need to wait in the playroom between assessments. The study will commence in February and be completed by May 2014.

• REC name

  North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/NE/0015

• Date of REC Opinion

  11 Feb 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion