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OPTOMETRIC TOOLBOX
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This program started life as a series of independent programs. As the number of tools grew, it seemed logical to integrate them into a single program. Here is what the reviewers and users say:
“A great set of tools for eye care professionals”
“I find the contact lens calculators particularly useful”
The program is FREE to download or available on CD for £10
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FEATURES
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Main menu page
The tools are divided into four categories: Contact lens related, Dispensing, Clinical and Miscellaneous.
The tools are accessed form the Main Menu page.
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CONTACT LENS-RELATED TOOLS
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Rigid Gas Permeable lens fit: Enter the patient's prescription using the pull down lists or using the keyboard. The program will automatically calculate the mean sphere in the plane of the spectacles and the eye, taking account of the vertex distance specified. Enter the k readings for each eye using the pull down lists. The program will then calculate the equivalent power along the principal meridians and the corneal astigmatism. Based on this information, the program will calculate a specification for a RGP lens including a Back Optic Zone Radius (BOZR), a Total Diameter (TD) and the power of the lens (Rx).
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Soft lens fit : Enter the patient's prescription using the pull down lists or using the keyboard. The program will automatically calculate the mean sphere in the plane of the spectacles and the eye, taking account of the vertex distance specified. Enter the k readings for each eye using the pull down lists. The program will then calculate the equivalent power along the principal meridians and the corneal astigmatism. Based on this information, the program will calculate a specification for a Soft lens including a Back Optic Zone Radius (BOZR), a Total Diameter (TD) and the power of the lens (Rx).
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Soft toric lens fit : Enter the patient's prescription using the pull down lists or using the keyboard. The program will automatically calculate the mean sphere in the plane of the spectacles and the eye, taking account of the vertex distance specified. Enter the k readings for each eye using the pull down lists. The program will then calculate the equivalent power along the principal meridians and the corneal astigmatism. Based on this information, the program will calculate a specification for a Soft Toric lens including a Back Optic Zone Radius (BOZR), a Total Diameter (TD) and the power of the lens (Rx). Any rotation of the lens on the eye can be compensated for using the lens orientation sliders.
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Toric lens over-refraction calculator : This tool is designed to help practitioners determine the appropriate prescription for a soft toric contact lens from the results of an Over-Refraction with the patient wearing a soft toric contact lens of a given prescription. Enter the prescription of the soft toric contact lens worn by the patient. Any rotation of the lens in the patient's eyes can be compensated for using the lens orientation sliders. Perform a full over-refraction (Sphere and Cyl) and enter the result in the <i>Spectacle Over Refraction</i> frame. Remember to specify the exact vertex distance (especially for higher prescriptions). The program will then calculate the resultant prescription (taking into account the vertex distance and rotation of the contact lens) and a new soft toric prescription will be shown. This prescription should now fully correct the patient's refractive error.
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Efron contact lens complications grading: The Efron Contact Lens Complications Grading System was devised by Professor Nathan Efron and Dr Phil Morgan of UMIST. The system consists of a series of images showing possible complications of contact lens wear on various structures in and around the eyes. For each structure there are five images showing different levels of severity: Normal, Trace, Mild, Moderate and Severe. This allows the practitioner to compare the appearance of the patient's eyes with the reference images in order to establish a grade. This facilitates the monitoring of contact lens complications over time. The Optometric ToolBox contains a full set of images by kind permission of Professor Efron, Dr Morgan and Butterworth-Heinemann.
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DISPENSING TOOLS
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Lens prismatic effect calculator : Enter the prescription of the lens in the Spectacle Prescription frame and specify whether it is a right or left lens. To determine the prismatic effect at a specific point in the lens, either enter the Decentration of the lens or simply click on that position within the grid. Note: these measurements relate to the decentration of the lens relative to the pupil centre. The horizontal and vertical prismatic effect (in prism dioptres) at that point will then be displayed in the Prismatic effect frame.
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Pupillary distance calculator: When dispensing spectacle lenses it is important to centre the lenses correctly with respect to the pupil centres, particularly for higher powered lenses. The distance pupillary distance (DPD) can be measured easily using a ruler. Establishing the near pupillary distance is less easy because it depends on the vertex distance (VD) of the spectacles and the near working distance (WD). In order to measure this accurately, the patient must converge to a point at the correct working distance and the ruler must be held at the correct vertex distance. However, the near pupillary distance can be calculated given the DPD, the VD, the WD and an estimate of the position of the centre of rotation of the eyes. To calculate the Near PD using the Pupillary Distance Calculator, enter the patient's distance PD, the vertex distance of the spectacle lenses and the proposed working distance. The Near PD will be automatically updated whenever any of these parameters is changed.
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Lens transposition calculator: A sphero-cylindrical prescription may be written in either plus or minus cylinder format. It is sometimes necessary to convert a prescription from one format to another (when pricing or ordering lenses for example). This process is referred to as transposition. The Transposition calculator was originally created as a teaching tool for students. It is included in the ToolBox to enable lay staff or students (or rusty practitioners) to check a transposition. When the prescription is entered in minus cylinder format, the prescription will be shown automatically in plus cylinder format in the boxes below. The process may be reversed by simply entering the plus cylinder prescription in the lower boxes and reading the minus cylinder prescription in the boxes above.
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CLINICAL TOOLS
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Visual acuity calculator : Visual acuity may be measured using a variety of charts and recorded in a number of different formats. The visual acuity calculator facilitates conversion of visual acuity measurements from one format to another. Whenever the score in any of the boxes is changed, the score in all the other boxes will be updated automatically.
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Anterior chamber angle grading: The anterior chamber depth grading tool was originally devised to demonstrate the van Herick method to students. The tool presents simulated slit-lamp images of the slit-lamp appearance of various grades of anterior chamber angle.
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Stop watch and timers: A number of clinical procedures require a timer. For example Tear Break Up Time (TBUT), Schirmer test and photostress test. The Optometric Toolbox contains a selection of stop watches and timers for this purpose.
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MISCELLANEOUS TOOLS
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Cashing-up calculator: The cashing-up calculator was originally developed as a joke when staff in the practice where I was working could never get the cash to balance at the end of the day. However, the staff actually found it quite useful and continued to use it.
It is included in the toolbox for those for whom mental arithmetic does not come easily!
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Calendar and date calculator : This tool displays a large clock and a calendar. It also provides a quick reference for booking future appointments. Click on today's date in the left calendar and specify the number of months that you want to see the patient again in the pull down list. The calendar on the right will then display this retest date automatically.
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