AUTO INSTRUMENTS

Automated Ophthalmic Equipment Highlights

An automated refractor or autorefractor is a piece of eye examination equipment that measures how light changes when it enters a person's eye. By measuring this, the ophthalmic professional can identify the measurement of a person's "refractive error" and therefore the corrective prescription for eyeglasses or for contact lenses.

A keratometer or ophthamometer is a device used to measuring the aspects of the cornea. Specifically it's used for determining an individual's astigmatism by analyzing the anterior surface of the cornea. There are now combined refractors and keratometers which can help you efficiently assess the prescription strength needed as well as the astigmatism of a patient at the same time.

A tonometer is used to measure the fluid pressure within the eye. This is particularly important because people that suffer from intraocular hypertension are at higher risk for developing glaucoma. There are both contact tonometers, where a blast of air is pushed towards the eye and non contact tonometers which can measure intraocular pressure through the eyelid.

A corneal topographer is a device, like the keratometer that can assess the curvature of the cornea but also maps the rest of the eye, taking multiple measurements. These are particularly beneficial to patients who use rigid gas permeable contact lenses or soft contact lens wearers because it offers the doctor more information and allows them to create a more individually tailored contact lens for the patient.