Morrisville, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/20/2014 -- There are few things more recognizable by everyone than the standard optometrist’s eye chart. Officially known as the Snellen Eye Chart, named after its Dutch ophthalmologist and inventor, Hermann Snellen, who introduced the chart back on 1862, it has been the standard for measuring vision acuity for well over 100 years. Today, like so many other things we are familiar with, the Snellen Chart has gone digital.

In keeping with the cutting edge culture of the Research Triangle area, Dr. Hiten Prajapati of Triangle Family EyeCare recently removed his cardboard Snellen chart and installed the world's most advanced Digital Acuity System known as Clear Chart. “With the digital chart, I am able to show a whole chart of letters, a single line of letters, and even a single letter if needed,” reported Dr. Prajapati. “The digital chart also gives the optometrist the option to use numbers, a tumbling C or E, and pictures if the patient is unable to read.”

With advances in display technologies, screen contrast has also been improved and makes it easier for patients to see the letters from a distance. The digital chart during an eye exam can be dimmed to check for glare or contrast problems and it also has a hearing impaired communication system for the effective testing of patients with hearing difficulties.

One of the difficulties inherent in the traditional cardboard Snellen chart is it can be memorized and guessing by the patient can skew results. With the digital chart, “ototypes”, or letters on the screen are randomized when they appear and therefore provide a truer reading of the patient’s visual acuity. “Our new digital chart also comes with patient education materials and a cartoon loop when I am assessing very young children,” stated Dr. Prajapati. “The letters can also be easily replaced with pictures for patients who are not readers or for younger patients who do not yet know their alphabet or numbers.”