The ocular refraction

The eye = adaptive optical system, 64D refractive power: 70% air-corneal
interface, 30% crystalline (it can supplement the refractive power of the eye
through an accommodation mechanism that allows a clear view of nearby
objects).
Ocular refraction = balance between 4 fundamental refractive variables:
1. the axial length of the eyeball
2. the dioptric power of the cornea
3. the dioptric power of the lens
4. the depth of the anterior chamber

Refraction: -static component

- dynamic component (accommodation)
Emmetropia = the refraction of the eye in an accommodative resting state,
when the image of the objects is formed on the retina and the 4 fundamental
refractive variables are in equilibrium.
Ametropia = the situation in which the beam of light coming from infinity is
formed at one point or more points, in front of or behind the retina. The
ametropic eye is an eye with abnormal vision without correction.

Eye refraction: - subjective methods

- objective methods
Subjective methods = are based on the response of the patient who chooses the
correction that offers the best visual acuity
Basic materials: lens box, test frame, Snellen test
The patient reads the smallest row of a Snellen test at a distance of 6m.
Evaluation of the spherical component
Corrects with progressively increasing lenses.
 It starts with a monocular test. If the subject reads the last line of a Snellen
chart, he is emmetropic or small hypermetropic. Lenses from +0.50 Dsf or +
1Dsf are added to the sample frame. If a better view is not obtained, it means
that the subject is emmetropic. If the visual acuity improves after the lens is
added, the patient is hypermetropic and the highest spherical value with the
maximum visual acuity will be prescribed.

If the patient does not read the last line, he is myopic or astigmatized, has a
high value of hypermetropia or has an organic eye disorder. Initially the + 1dsf
spherical lens is applied. If a better visual acuity is not obtained, the patient is
myopic or astigmatized. Add the concave spherical lens with which the best
view is obtained and the lowest value with which the maximum visual acuity is
obtained is prescribed.
If the patient does not read better after correction with + or - lenses, it means
that they have astigmatism and cylindrical lenses will be used.
The autorefraction test
Autorefractors measure refractive error in just seconds and automatically
determines a person's refractive errors.
After informing the patient of the need to fix the look, refraction is measured
in both eyes.

The results of the test are used to diagnose the following conditions:
- astigmatism, a refractive problem with the eye related to the shape of the
lens, which causes blurry vision
- hyperopia, which is also known as farsightedness
- myopia, which is also known as nearsightedness
- presbyopia, a condition related to aging that causes lens of the eye to have
trouble focusing