General

Ocular DiseaseAssessment of visual function                                                         

No CPD Points


Course Summary

Dr Dan Rosser & David Cartwright (16:25)

Measuring visual acuity is a routine optometric test that we often take for granted. We might think it is an essentially objective test, but it’s more subjective than many of us realise, making it hard to achieve reliable and consistent results. Although most community optometrists continue to use the standard Snellen chart, logMAR and high and low contrast charts have emerged as alternatives, particularly in hospital practice. For those less familiar with these methods the differences in notation can make it difficult to put the results into context and to make useful clinical comparisons. Dr Dan Rosser is Principle Optometrist and Head of the Optometry Department at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, here he discusses different methods of measuring visual acuity with David Cartwright, including the appropriate uses and associated difficulties of each.

First published in DOCET OQ88 (2013).

    Learning objectives

    • An overview of the different methods of measuring visual acuity.
    • A comparative outline of the shortcomings and errors in each.
    • An indication of the advantages of different chart designs for different patient groups.
    • Advice on interpreting VA measurements taken with various different charts for community optometrists.

      Audio track (~16 mins)