Accuity Testing

[Drew Radcliffe]

I've just had my eyes tested at the hospital with one of those newfandagled snellen charts, the ones with 5 letters on each line!.

I was supprised with the result. Reading off the chart my vision is worse than 1/60 as in i can't read it standing one meter away. The nurse then got her book of single letters out and I could read 1/18 unaided.

I suppose with the backlight of the chart and the chaotic refraction from the light box it does make things appear different to those with KC. Has anyone else experienced similar, as the nurses remarks did make me feel a bit of a freak?

Drew

[Susan Mason]

Hi Drew

I constantly find myself thinking I am a freak these days however, nurses should know better than to comment or react in ways which could be taken as us thinking they think we are freaks.

My sister is about 8 months into her first qualified nursing job on an eye unit as it happens and was really shocked several years ago whilst she was training and she accompanied me to an eye clinic appointment.
When I got there as I was seeing the consultant I got the customary eye test - What can you see? Where I asked, then the little sjield was flipped over allowing me to look through the tiny little holes ah there is where the lightbox is. And then came what shocked her most as I couldn't see much the nurse turned to her hand held chart and proceeded to run at me in little bursts asking - Can you see it now?

Well at the time I was really upset however, years later I just have to laugh.

What does puzzle me though is if they can map our eyes and know what is normal and what is KC why can't they get a prescription for us with the aid of the computer. Even now when at the contact lens clinic I sometimes get the feeling they feel I should be abkle to see and I know I can't.

Well the wonders of KC I suppose.

best wishes

Susan

[John Smith]

As an IT guy myself, I think you've hit on an interesting question, Susan.

I think thought that the research being done by Marine Gobb in Vauxhall was doing that to a point... she was certainly using the computer to work out the shape and prescription, and then to design a soft contact lens which would help; Unfortunately I missed the meeting when she presented her results "so far".

Does anyone know the latest status on this research?