Inter-observer and intra-observer variability of the Oxford clinical cataract classification and grading system

Abstract

Intra-observer (within observers) and inter-observer (between observers) variability of the Oxford Clinical Cataract Classification and Grading System were studied. Twenty cataracts were examined and scored independently by four observers. On a separate occasion two of the observers repeated the assessments of the same cataracts in the absence of information from the initial observations. The chance corrected and weighted kappa statistics for observer agreement, both for inter-observer and intra-observer variability demonstrated satisfactory repeatibility of the cataract grading system. The overall intra-observer mean weighted kappa was χ_w = +0.68 (range SE χ = 0.012–0.052) and the overall inter-observer mean weighted kappa was χ_w = +0.55 (range SE χ = 0.011–0.043).