02 Measurement of Lens Power
02 Measurement of Lens Power
Lecture 2
Measurement of Lens Power –
The Focimeter
MEASURING LENS POWER
• Methods
• Hand neutralisation
• Focimeter
• Vertometer
• Lensmeter
HAND NEUTRALISATION
Optical Centre
Marker
Power
Wheel
FOCUSING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
• Light Source
• Moveable target
• Power wheel
• Standard lens (collimating lens)
• Lens stop with central aperture
• When adjusted for parallel light gives
object at infinity ()
• Viewable by telescope
TELESCOPIC VIEWING SYSTEM
• An objective lens
• An eyepiece lens
• Graticule showing 0 to 180 degrees in 1
degree increments is positioned between
these lenses
• Eyepiece should be focussed such that
the graticule is in focus for the observer’s
unaccommodated eye
TELESCOPIC VIEWING SYSTEM
Target
FOCIMETER – PRINCIPLE AND
CONSTRUCTION
x fo f’o x’
−x.x’ = f’o2
NEWTON’S RELATION
• Calibration
− With the power wheel at the zero position, the
cross hairs and the target should be in clear
focus
− Both eyes should be open with the dominant
eye used with the eyepiece.
FOCIMETER USE: CROSSED-LINE
TARGETS
• Insert the spectacles to measure the BVP
− Back pole of the lens should be positioned at
the lens stop
− Spectacles should be secured with the aid of
the table and the spring clamp
− Optical centre of the lens should be
positioned over the centre of the aperture of
the lens stop
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERICAL LENSES
• Rotate the power wheel until the lines become
clear
• Note the power on the power wheel
• If the lens power is spherical
− Both sets of lines will be clear regardless of the
position of the axis drum
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERICAL LENSES
• Marking the optical centre
− Check that the centre of the crosshair
coincides with the centre of the target
− When this is so, the lens is correctly
positioned and the optical centre should be
marked
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERICAL LENSES
• Measuring the power of the second lens
− If lens target is displaced up or down from
horizontal portion of the crosshair there is a
vertical prismatic correction incorporated for
the two eyes
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERICAL LENSES
• Insert the spectacles
• Determine the
lens power
• Mark the
optical centre
• Measure the power
of the second lens
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERO-CYLINDRICAL LENSES
• Step 1 – Finding the sphere power
− Rotate the power wheel until one set of lines
becomes clear
− Start with the higher positive power (or lower
negative power)
− Axis drum will need to be rotated to ensure
that lines are unbroken
− Note the power on the power wheel
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERO-CYLINDRICAL LENSES
• Step 2 – Finding the cylinder power
− Rotate the power wheel until the second set of
lines becomes clear
− Second power reading minus first reading will
give the power of the cylinder (and its
correct sign)
• Step 3 – Finding the axis
− Note the direction of the lines on the graticule at
the second reading axis
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERO-CYLINDRICAL LENSES
• Insert the spectacles
• Determine the
lens power
• Mark the
optical centre
• Measure the power
of the second lens
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
RING OF DOTS TARGET
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERICAL LENSES
• If all the dots of the target are in focus at a given
setting of the power wheel, the lens is spherical
• Marking the optical centre
− Check that centre of the ring of dots coincides with
centre of the target
− When lens is correctly positioned and the optical
centre should be marked
− While there is no centre dot, the whole set of dots
can be ‘framed’ within the lines of the graticule to
locate the centre
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERICAL LENSES
• Measuring the power of the second lens
− If the lens target is displaced up or down from
the horizontal portion of the crosshair
• Vertical prismatic correction should be
incorporated for the two eyes
RING OF DOTS TARGET
SPHERO-CYLINDRICAL LENSES
• Step 1 – Finding the sphere power
− Rotate the power wheel until one set of lines
(stretched dots) becomes clear
− Start with the higher positive power (or lower
negative power). Note the power on the
power wheel
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERO-CYLINDRICAL LENSES
• Step 2 – Finding the cylinder power
− Rotate the power wheel until the second set
of lines (stretched dots) becomes clear
− The second power reading minus the first
reading will give the power of the cylinder
(and its correct sign)
DETERMINING THE LENS POWER:
SPHERO-CYLINDRICAL LENSES
DETERMINING THE PRISM WITH
FOCIMETER
• Vertical prism
• Horizontal prism
• Oblique prism
VERTICAL PRISM
VERTICAL PRISM
• Eyepiece
− Failure to focus the eyepiece will result in
incorrect readings of vertex power
− Dependent on the degree to which the
eyepiece is incorrectly focused for a given
observer
• Error in the power reading may classify completed
lens spectacles as outside the acceptable
tolerances for optical appliance standards
FOCIMETER USE: SOURCES OF ERROR
• Corrective Measures
− Calibration of the focimeter should be checked
frequently
− If the error in the BVP is systematical
• The aperture stop is in misalignment and
• Is no longer positioned at the second principal focus of the
standard lens
− Power reading should be corrected for a systematic
error in the short-term
− Replacement and repositioning of the aperture stop
presents a long-term solution
PROJECTION FOCIMETERS