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7/23/2019 Verhoeff-A New Test for Visual Acuity http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/verhoeff-a-new-test-for-visual-acuity 1/6  NEW TEST FOR VISUAL ACUITY F. H. VERHOEFF M.D. Boston Vision is so complicated a phenomenon and is dependent upon so many variables that no single test can be devised by which it can accurately be measured for all purposes. In practical life, however the most important factor in visual acuity no doubt is the resolving power of the eye. This is commonly measured by determining the smallest visual angle perceptible the minimum separable. Such determi- nations, however do not reveal the full resolving power of the eye, for the best possible vision shown by them corresponds to a visual angle of only about 30 minutes, whereas by certain methods which measure the aligning power it can be shown that the eye is capable of much finer discrimination than this. It should not be assumed from this fact, however that tests based upon the minimum separable are necessarily less precise than are those based upon the aligning power. While, so far as I know the aligning power has not been accurately correlated with the perception of the minimum separable, my own observations indicate that relative differ- ences in the former cannot be so accurately determined as relative differences in the latter. Moreover if a person has the best possible perception of the minimum separable, he will, no doubt, be found to have the best possible aligning power. The Snellen test measures the minimum separable with a considerable degree of accuracy, and the practical value of this test has been demonstrated over a period of many years.  From the Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology Harvard University, and, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. 6 161
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Verhoeff-A New Test for Visual Acuity

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Page 1: Verhoeff-A New Test for Visual Acuity

7/23/2019 Verhoeff-A New Test for Visual Acuity

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/verhoeff-a-new-test-for-visual-acuity 1/6

 

NEW TEST FOR

VISUAL ACUITY

F . H.

VERHOEFF

M.D.

B o s t o n

V i s i o n

i s s o

c o m p l i c a t e d

a

p h e n o m e n o n

a n d i s

d e p e n d e n t

u p o n

s o

many

v a r i a b l e s

t h a t

n o

s i n g l e

t e s t c a n

b e

d e v i s e d

b y

w h i c h

i t

c a n

a c c u r a t e l y

b e m e a s u r e d

f o r

a l l

p u r p o s e s .

I n

p r a c t i c a l

l i f e , h o w e v e r

t h e

m o s t

i m p o r t a n t

f a c t o r

i n

v i s u a l

a c u i t y

n o d o u b t

i s t h e

r e s o l v i n g

p o w e r

o f

t h e

e y e .

T h i s

i s

c o m m o n l y

m e a s u r e d

b y d e t e r m i n i n g

t h e

s m a l l e s t

v i s u a l

a n g l e

p e r c e p t i b l e t h e

m i n i m u m

s e p a r a b l e .

S u c h

d e t e r m i -

n a t i o n s ,

h o w e v e r

d o

n o t

r e v e a l

t h e f u l l

r e s o l v i n g

p o w e r

o f

t h e

e y e ,

f o r t h e

b e s t

p o s s i b l e

v i s i o n

s h o w n

b y

t h e m

c o r r e s p o n d s

t o

a

v i s u a l a n g l e

o f

o n l y

a b o u t

3 0

m i n u t e s ,

w h e r e a s

b y c e r t a i n

m e t h o d s

w h i c h

m e a s u r e

t h e

a l i g n i n g p o w e r

i t

c a n

b e

s h o w n

t h a t

t h e

e y e

i s

c a p a b l e

o f

much

f i n e r

d i s c r i m i n a t i o n

t h a n

t h i s .

I t s h o u l d

n o t

b e

a s s u m e d

f r o m

t h i s

f a c t ,

h o w e v e r

t h a t t e s t s

b a s e d u p o n

t h e

minimum

s e p a r a b l e

a r e

n e c e s s a r i l y l e s s

p r e c i s e

t h a n

a r e

t h o s e

b a s e d

u p o n

t h e

a l i g n i n g

p o w e r .

W h i l e ,

s o

f a r

a s

I

k n o w

t h e

a l i g n i n g

p o w e r

h a s

n o t b e e n

a c c u r a t e l y

c o r r e l a t e d

w i t h t h e

p e r c e p t i o n

o f

t h e

minimum

s e p a r a b l e , m y

own

o b s e r v a t i o n s i n d i c a t e

t h a t

r e l a t i v e

d i f f e r -

e n c e s

i n t h e

f o r m e r

c a n n o t b e

s o

a c c u r a t e l y

d e t e r m i n e d

a s

r e l a t i v e d i f f e r e n c e s

i n

t h e

l a t t e r .

M o r e o v e r

i f

a

p e r s o n h a s

t h e

b e s t

p o s s i b l e

p e r c e p t i o n

o f

t h e

m i n i m u m

s e p a r a b l e ,

h e

w i l l ,

n o

d o u b t ,

b e

f o u n d

t o h a v e

t h e

b e s t

p o s s i b l e

a l i g n i n g

p o w e r .

T h e

S n e l l e n

t e s t m e a s u r e s

t h e minimum

s e p a r a b l e

w i t h

a c o n s i d e r a b l e

d e g r e e

o f

a c c u r a c y ,

a n d

t h e

p r a c t i c a l

v a l u e

o f

t h i s

t e s t

h a s

b e e n

d e m o n s t r a t e d

o v e r

a

p e r i o d

o f

many

y e a r s .

 

From t h e

H owe

L a b o r a t o r y

o f

O p h t h a l m o l o g y

H a r v a r d

U n i v e r s i t y ,

a n d ,

t h e

M a s s a c h u s e t t s

E y e

a n d

E a r

I n f i r m a r y .

6

1 6 1

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1 6 2

V E R H O E F F : A New

T e s t

f o r V i s u a l A c u i t y

O n e

o f

i t s

p r i n c i p a l

a d v a n t a g e s

i s t h a t i t

d e t e r m i n e s

d i r e c t l y

t h e

a b i l i t y t o

r e c o g n i z e

l e t t e r s ,

w h i c h

i s

o n e

o f

t h e

m o s t

i m p o r t a n t f u n c t i o n s

o f v i s i o n

i n

d a i l y

l i f e . I t s

c h i e f

d i s -

a d v a n t a g e s a r e t h a t

d i f f e r e n t l e t t e r s u s e d i n

t h e t e s t a r e

n o t a l l a f f e c t e d a l i k e b y a s t i g m a t i s m

a n d

o t h e r

a b e r r a t i o n s

o f

t h e o p t i c a l s y s t e m

a n d

h a v e

d i f f e r e n t d e g r e e s

o f

l e g i b i l i t y .

T h e m o s t n o t a b l e

o f

t h e

a t t e m p t s t o i m p r o v e

o n

S n e l l e n s

t e s t w e r e t h o s e

o f

L a n d o l t a n d o f

I v e s . T h e

L a n d o l t

r i n g

a n d

t h e

I v e s g r a t i n g

e a c h

p o s s e s s t h e

s e r i o u s

d i s a d v a n t a g e

h o w e v e r

t h a t

n u m e r o u s

d e t e r m i n a t i o n s

m u s t

b e

m a d e

t o

a l l o w f o r t h e e f f e c t

o f

a s t i g m a t i s m ,

t h u s e m p h a s i z i n g

t h e

f a c t o r s

o f

f a t i g u e

a n d

f a u l t y o b s e r v a t i o n .

R e c e n t l y

I

h a v e

d e v i s e d

a

t e s t

f o r v i s u a l

a c u i t y

t h a t

s e e m s

t o

b e n o t

o n l y m o r e d e l i c a t e

a n d

a c c u r a t e t h a n

t h e S n e l l e n

t e s t a t

l e a s t f o r

v i s u a l

a c u i t y

b e t t e r

t h a n

2 0 / 4 0 b u t

i s

a l s o

s i m p l e r . M o r e o v e r

i t s r e s u l t s s h o w a s c l o s e a

c o r r e s p o n d

e n c e

w i t h

t h e S n e l l e n

t e s t

a s

t h e

a c c u r a c y - o f

t h e l a t t e r

w i l l

d e t e r m i n e .

A s

a

t e s t

f o r

i l l i t e r a t e s

i t s

v a l u e

w i l l

a t

o n c e

b e

a p p a r e n t .

F o r

o r d i n a r y

u s e

t h e t e s t

i s

m a d e

b y

u t i l i z i n g

a

c h a r t

t o b e v i e w e d

a t

2 0 f e e t

  f i g .

1 ,

w i t h

g r a d a t i o n s

c o r r e s p o n d i n g

t o

t h e

u s u a l S n e l l e n c h a r t

a n d

a n

a d d i t i o n a l

g r a d a t i o n

c o r r e s p o n d i n g

t o V .

= 2 0 / 1 2 . 5 .

T h e

c h a r t , h o w e v e r c a n ,

o f

c o u r s e ,

b e

a d a p t e d

t o t h e f i v e - m e t e r

o r

d e c i m a l

s y s t e m .

T h e r e

a r e e i g h t

r o w s o f

f i g u r e s ,

e a c h r o w

c o n s i s t i n g

o f

t w o

u n i t s . I f

t w o

c o m p l e t e

c i r c l e s a r e s e e n

i n

t h e

f i g u r e

o n

t h e

l e f t

i n

t h e

f i r s t

r o w

V .

=

2 0 / 2 0 0 ;

i f

t h r e e c i r c l e s

a r e s e e n i n

t h e

f i g u r e

o n

t h e

r i g h t ,

V .

= 2 0 / 1 0 0 .

I n

t h e

s e c o n d

r o w

t h e

f i g u r e s

c o r r e s p o n d

t o V .

=

2 0 / 7 0

a n d

V .

=

2 0 / 5 0 ,

r e s p e c t i v e l y .

I f

t h e

v i s u a l

a c u i t y

i s

f o u n d

t o

b e

b e t t e r

t h a n

t h i s ,

t h e

p a t i e n t

i s

i n s t r u c t e d

t o

l o o k a t t h e o t h e r

r o w s

f r o m

a b o v e

d o w n w a r d

a n d

t o s e l e c t

t h e

l o w e s t

r o w

i n

w h i c h

h e

c a n

s t i l l m a k e o u t

t w o

c i r c l e s

i n

t h e

f i g u r e

o n

t h e

l e f t .

L e t u s

s u p p o s e ,

f o r

e x a m p l e

t h a t

h e s e l e c t s

r o w

N o .

4

  f i g . 2 ) :

He

i s

t h e n

a s k e d

i f

t h e t w o

f i g u r e s

i n

r o w

N o . 5

l o o k

a l i k e .

I f

t h e y

d o l o o k

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7 0

  oo

4

 

5

0 0

6

 

I s

 

1 2 S

8

  1 0

F i g .

1 . C h a r t a s

seen w i t h

a

n o r m a l

e y e .

F i g .

3 . C h a r t

as

seen b y

an

eye

w i t h s i m p l e a s t i g m a t i s m ,

a n d

v i s u a l

a c u i t y

o f

2 0 / 4 0 .

F i g . 2 . C h a r t a s seen

b y a m y o p i c

o r

h y p e r m e t r o p i c

eye

w i t h

v i s u a l a c u i t y

s l i g h t l y

b e t t e r

t h a n

2 0 / 3 0 .

F i g . 4 . C h a r t as

seen

b y

an e y e

w i t h

c o m p o u n d

  s t i g m t i s m

a n d v i s u a l

a c u i t y

o f

2 0 / 1 0 0 .

s o

4 0

3 0

2 0

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V E R H O E F F :

A

New T e s t f o r

V i s u a l A c u i t y

a l i k e , h i s v i s u a l a c u i t y

c o r r e s p o n d s

t o

r o w N o .

4 ,

a n d

i s

2 0 / 3 0 .

I f

h e

s t a t e s

t h a t

t h e

t w o

f i g u r e s

i n

r o w N o .

5

d o

n o t

l o o k

a l i k e ,

b u t

t h a t t h o s e

i n

r o w N o . 6

d o l o o k a l i k e ,

h i s

s e l e c t i o n

o f

r o w

N o .

4

w a s i n a c c u r a t e

a n d

h i s v i s u a l

a c u i t y

i s

n e a r l y

2 0 / 2 0 . A s t i l l h i g h e r d e g r e e o f a c c u r a c y

may

b e

o b t a i n e d b y c h a n g i n g t h e d i s t a n c e

f r o m

t h e

c h a r t .

F o r

e x a m p l e

s u p p o s e

t h e p a t i e n t

s e l e c t s

r o w

N o .

5

  V .

=

2 0 / 2 0 ) .

By

b r i n g i n g

h i m c l o s e r t o t h e

c h a r t

i t

may

b e f o u n d t h a t a t

1 8

f e e t

h e s e l e c t s r o w N o . 6 , i n d i c a t i n g V .

=

1 8 / 1 5 .

I n

t h i s

way

I

h a v e

a s c e r t a i n e d

t h a t a

g o o d o b s e r v e r

w i t h

a

v i s u a l

a c u i t y

o f a b o u t

2 0 / 1 2

c a n

d e t e c t a

d i f f e r e n c e

o f

a b o u t

4

m i n u t e s

i n

t h e v i s u a l

a n g l e .

A

p r e c i s e

a n d

c o n v e n i e n t m e t h o d

o f

m a k i n g

t h e t e s t

i s

t o

t h r o w t h r e e

r o w s , 2 0 / 4 0 , 2 0 / 3 0 ,

a n d

2 0 / 2 0 ,

o n

a

s c r e e n

b y

m e a n s o f

a

p r o j e c t o r

w h i c h

v a r i e s t h e

m a g n i f i c a t i o n

  s

d e s i r e d . *

I f

t h e r e

i s

u n c o r r e c t e d

a s t i g m a t i s m ,

i t

i s

e s p e c i a l l y

i m

p o r t a n t

f o r

t h e p a t i e n t

t o

o b s e r v e t h a t t h e

c i r c l e s a r e

c o m p l e t e

i n

t h e

f i g u r e c o r r e s p o n d i n g

t o h i s v i s u a l

a c u i t y

  f i g s . 3

a n d

4 ) .

When

t h e r e

i s

a

c o n s i d e r a b l e a m o u n t

o f

a s t i g m a t i s m ,

h e w i l l

o b s e r v e

t h a t e a c h

f i g u r e

s h o w s

t w o

s e c t o r s , d i a m e t r i c a l l y

o p p o s i t e ,

i n

w h i c h

t h e c i r c l e s

a r e

m o s t

d i s t i n c t .

I n

c a s e

t h e

e y e

i s

e m m e t r o p i c

i n

t h e

m e r i d i a n

a t

r i g h t

a n g l e s

t o

t h e a x i s o f t h e

a s t i g m a t i s m , t h e p a t i e n t may

o b s e r v e

t h a t

t h e r e a r e

t w o

b a n d s

i n

t h e s e c t o r s

i n

t h e

f i g u r e s

o n t h e l e f t

a n d

t h r e e b a n d s

i n

t h e s e c t o r s

i n

t h e

f i g u r e s

o n

t h e

r i g h t .

I f

t h i s

s l i g h t

d i f f e r e n c e

o c c u r s ,

h e s h o u l d

b e

t o l d

t o

d i s r e g a r d

i t .

I n

t h e

f i r s t

t w o

r o w s o f

f i g u r e s

o n

t h e c h a r t

e a c h

i n t e r v a l

i n t h e

f i g u r e s c o r r e s p o n d s

t o a n

a n g l e

o f

o n e

m i n u t e

a t t h e

d e s i g n a t e d

d i s t a n c e . S i n c e

l o w v i s u a l

a c u i t y

i s

o f t e n d u e t o

r e f r a c t i v e e r r o r s

w h i c h

e x a g g e r a t e t h e

e f f e c t s

o f

t h e v a r i o u s

a b e r r a t i o n s

o f

t h e

o p t i c a l s y s t e m

a n d

t h u s

p r o d u c e i r r e g u l a r

 

T h e

A m e r i c a n

O p t i c a l

Company i s

p r e p a r i n g

t o

s u p p l y

t h e

t e s t

c h a r t .

T h e y

w i l l

a l s o

u t i l i z e

i t i n

a new

p r o j e c t i o n

l a n t e r n .

1 6 3

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1 6 4

V E R H O E F F : A

New

T e s t

f o r V i s u a l A c u i t y

d i s t o r t i o n s

i n

t h e

r e t i n a l

i m a g e ,

t h e

e s t i m a t i o n o f

v i s u a l

a c u i t y

w i t h i n

t h i s

r a n g e

i s

l i k e l y

t o

b e

h i g h l y

i n a c c u r a t e .

I n

r a r e

i n s t a n c e s ,

o w i n g

t o

t h e

d o u b l i n g

o f

i m a g e s , i t may

e v e n

h a p p e n

t h a t t h e

p a t i e n t

f a i l s t o

s e e

t w o

c i r c l e s i n

t h e

f i g u r e o n

t h e l e f t ,

a n d

y e t s e e s t h r e e

c i r c l e s

i n

t h e f i g u r e

o n

t h e r i g h t .

 

s i m i l a r

i n a c c u r a c y ,

o f

c o u r s e ,

e n t e r s i n t o

t h e

S n e l l e n t e s t ,

e s p e c i a l l y w h e n

a s i s

u s u a l ,

o n l y

a

f e w

d i f f e r e n t

l e t t e r s

a r e

e m p l o y e d

b u t

a s

t h e

t w o

t e s t s

o f t e n

d o n o t c o r r e s p o n d w i t h i n

t h i s

r a n g e ,

i t i s

p r o b a b l y

b e s t , f o r

p r a c t i c a l p u r p o s e s ,

t o

r e l y h e r e u p o n

t h e

S n e l l e n t e s t ,

e x c e p t

i n t h e c a s e o f

i l l i t e r a t e s .

I n

e a c h

r o w b e l o w

t h e

s e c o n d

r o w i t

w i l l

b e

s e e n

t h a t a

new

p r i n c i p l e

i s

i n t r o d u c e d

o n

t h e

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c o r r e s p o n d i n g

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V .

 

2 0 / 5 0 ,

u s e d

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t h e

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L a b o r a t o r y

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O p h t h a l m o l o g y

H a r v a r d

U n i

v e r s i t y .

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V E R H O E F F :

A

New

T e s t f o r V i s u a l A c u i t y

5 . 2

m m . ;

w h i t e

i n t e r v a l , 4 . 4 3 m m . ;

w i d t h o f i n n e r b a n d

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mm.

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f i g u r e :

d i a m e t e r ,

5 6 . 5

m m . ;

w i d t h

o f

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3 . 5 m m . ;

w i d t h

o f

o u t e r w h i t e i n t e r v a l , 2 . 5 6

m m . ; w i d t h

o f m i d d l e

b a n d 2 . 6 8 m m . ;

w i d t h

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i n t e r v a l ,

2 . 5 8 m m . ;

w i d t h

o f

i n n e r

b a n d 2 . 9 5 mm.

T h e

c h a r t

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t o t h e S n e l l e n

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e s t i m a t i n g ,

b y

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a s t i g m a t i s m , f o r

i n

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w h e r e a s

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m e r e l y

t o c o n f i n e

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s i m p l e

f i g u r e .

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m o s t

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f i g u r e

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t h e v i s u a l

a c u i t y

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b y

t h e l e n s e s ,

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e s p e c i a l l y

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t h e

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t h e

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i l l u m i n a t i o n .

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i t

i s

d e e m e d

d e s i r a b l e ,

a

f i n a l

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may

b e m a d e

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a

t i m e , t h r o u g h

a n

o p e n i n g ,

t h e t w o

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i n

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c o r r e s p o n d

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p a t i e n t

s h o u l d

t h e n

b e

a b l e t o

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w i t h o u t a

s i n g l e

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f i g u r e

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t w o

c i r c l e s .

T h i s

p r o c e d u r e may

p r o v e

o f

v a l u e

i n

t h e c a s e o f

p e r s o n s

who

c l a i m

h i g h e r

v i s u a l

a c u i t y

t h a n

t h e y

r e a l l y

p o s s e s s .

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