AIM:To explore impact of portable phoria meter placed whether in front of dominant or non-dominant eye on phoria results during phoria inspection in physical examination of cadet candidate.

METHODS:Totally 650 candidates had passed the first round of ophthalmology check of China Southern 2012 Annual civil aviation cadet in Guangdong province. We picked out their dominant eyes by card-hole method, then respectively placed in front of the dominant eye(the dominant eye group)and non-dominant eye(non-dominant eye group)to measure phoria value. Von Graefe measurement value was as a control, exophoria was negative, esophoria was positive, vertical phoria was absolute value. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the phoria values respectively in the phoria group between dominant eye group and non-dominant eye group, dominant eye and Von Graefe law group, non-dominant eye group and Von Graefe law group.

RESULTS: Von Graefe group: average exophoria value was -2.21±0.35^△, average esophoria value was +3.87±1.20^△, hyperphoria value was +0.44±0.12^△. Average exophoria value of dominant eye group was -2.68±0.55^△, average esophoria value was +6.22±2.55^△, average hyperphoria value was +0.46±0.15^△; average exophoria value of non-dominant eye group was -2.16±0.40^△, average esophoria value was +3.22±1.65^△, hyperphoria value was +0.45±0.14^△. As for horizontal heterophoria(exophoria and esophoria), there was significant difference between dominant eye group and non-dominant eye group(P<0.05), dominant eye group and Von Graefe group(P<0.05), and there was non-significant difference between non-dominant eye group and Von Graefe group(P>0.05); As for vertical heterophoria, there was non-significant difference among the Von Graefe group, the dominant eye group and non-dominant eye groups(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION:The results are more reliable when portable phoria meter placed in front of dominant eye during the phoria check for civil aviation cadet.