If you’ve ever had an an eye exam, you’ve probably wondered about the big piece of equipment that you look through to answer “which is clearer: 1 or 2?”” questions. This piece of equipment is called a phoropter, and it is one of your eye care practitioner’s most important diagnostic tools. A phoropter is an ophthalmic testing device that contains a variety of lenses used to determine your eyeglass prescription. The phoropter helps to determine “refraction” or how uniquely curved or shaped a lens must be in order to correct your vision to 20/20 as possible.
At Reno Family Eye Care we utilize one of the most up to date forms of refractions with the use of automated phoropters. Advantages of an automated phoropter compared to the manual phoropter include: a more expedient, more accurate, and more consistent refraction. Digital refractions minimize the time the doctor spends performing the procedure which allows more quality time with patients; this time allows your doctor to spend more time educating you about your eye health, discussing the best eyewear for your lifestyle, without sacrificing quality. From a patient’s point of view, it is easier to discern differences using the new targets we have available, making the entire process faster and creating less “refraction anxiety”. The doctor is also able to dial in and save the patient’s previous prescription, this allows the patient to see directly the improvement a new glasses prescription can have compared to their current prescription with just the touch of a button. Overall, the experience is easier for both patients and doctors, with the potential for enhanced vision by a more precise assessment.
We are closed the first Friday of every month until 9:30 AM for staff training.