What Is an Eye Refraction Test? Importance and Refraction Testing Process

Refractive errors are vision disorders that affect the way the eyes focus light onto the retina, causing blurred or unclear vision. People with refractive errors often have difficulty seeing clearly and may frequently squint. As a result, they may experience headaches, eye strain, and reduced performance in work or study. If left untreated, refractive errors can lead to conditions such as strabismus (crossed eyes) or amblyopia (lazy eye).

During the examination, the eye doctor will assess and determine whether the patient has myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism. In addition, a refraction test helps measure the degree of refractive error to guide appropriate treatment and vision correction.

The Importance and Purpose of Eye Refraction Testing

Eye refraction testing is commonly recommended as part of routine eye health examinations. It is one of the best ways to detect refractive errors early. The main purposes of a refraction test include:

• Accurately assessing your vision to determine whether you have myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, as well as evaluating visual clarity. Based on the results, the doctor can recommend suitable vision correction solutions.
• Identifying and classifying eye conditions: knowing exactly which refractive error you have — or ruling out other eye diseases — helps improve treatment effectiveness.
• Determining the underlying causes of eye problems: helping you avoid risk factors and supporting treatment while maintaining stable vision conditions.

Who Should Have an Eye Refraction Test?

Refractive errors can occur in people of all ages. Therefore, everyone is encouraged to have regular eye refraction examinations, especially the following groups:

• People who spend long hours using computers, phones, or watching television
• Individuals who work continuously and experience significant eye strain
• People with symptoms such as tired eyes, watery eyes, or frequent squinting to see clearly
• Individuals sensitive to light or who often see glare or halos around lights
• People experiencing double vision or blurred near and distance vision
• Individuals previously diagnosed with refractive errors
• People who have undergone refractive eye surgery

Eye Examination & Refraction Testing Services at Hikari Eye Care Center

What Is the Eye Refraction Testing Process?

A standard eye refraction examination usually includes the following steps:

• Eye exam with a visual acuity chart: This is the initial method used to preliminarily identify any refractive errors. You will sit at a designated distance, facing an eye chart featuring letters and numbers of varying sizes. Each eye will be covered in turn to test whether you can see the characters clearly.
• If your vision is good, your eyes are considered normal. If you cannot read the characters clearly, the doctor will have you look through a pinhole occluder. At this stage, if your vision improves, the doctor can determine that you have a refractive error.
• Eye exam with an autorefractor: This step provides a more definitive confirmation of whether you have a refractive error. You will look at an image inside the machine that is projected like a short movie. Once the projection ends, the autorefractor will print out a results slip. For children under 9 years old, cycloplegic eye drops must be administered for 5 days to paralyze accommodation before the exam to ensure more accurate results. This machine is also commonly used as a nearsightedness measurement tool for those already diagnosed with myopia.

How to Read Eye Refraction Test Results

After the exam, you will receive a results slip. Many people still wonder how to accurately read these eye refraction results. Here is how to interpret them:

• R or OD (Oculus Dexter): Indicates the right eye.
• L or OS (Oculus Sinister): Indicates the left eye.
• SPH (Sphere): A minus sign (-) indicates nearsightedness (myopia), while a plus sign (+) indicates farsightedness (hyperopia).
• CYL (Cylinder): A minus sign (-) indicates myopic astigmatism, while a plus sign (+) indicates hyperopic astigmatism.
• AX (Axis): The axis of astigmatism; this value only appears if you have astigmatism.
• ADD (Addition): The additional magnifying power required for reading or close work; this only appears for presbyopia (aging eyes).
• Diopters: The unit of measurement used to determine the optical power of the lens.
• PD (Pupillary Distance): The distance between your pupils, measured in millimeters (mm) from the bridge of your nose to each pupil.

So, what is a normal eye prescription? If the doctor records a result of 10/10, your vision is normal. The lower this number drops, the poorer your visual acuity is.

Direct Examination by Leading Ophthalmology Specialists

Many people have the habit of going to regular optical shops for eye exams. Although eye refraction testing is a simple procedure, it should still be performed at high-quality facilities. This helps avoid inaccurate measurements

So, where should you get your eyes tested? Sai Gon Hikari Eye Center is one of the most reputable names in ophthalmology. With the mission of "Bright Eyes, Peaceful Minds," Sai Gon Hikari Eye Center always prioritizes medical ethics and customer health. You can rest assured that all eye examination services here are conducted to the highest standards.

Modern and Advanced Medical Equipment System

All machinery and equipment at Hikari are fully furnished and imported from abroad. This infrastructure ensures that eye examinations and refraction tests are accurate and safe. Furthermore, all materials used have clear, verified origins.

Always Putting Service Quality First

Bác sĩ và nhân viên tại Hikari luôn tận tâm và nhiệt huyết, dành cho bạn sự quan tâm chăm sóc tốt nhất. Hikari nói không với quy trình làm việc rườm rà. Mọi thủ tục dịch vụ đều rõ ràng và đạt chuẩn chất lượng Bộ Y tế đề ra.
Như vậy, đo khúc xạ mắt định kỳ sẽ giúp bạn phát hiện những bất thường ở mắt và có hướng giải quyết kịp thời. Để có kết quả chính xác, bạn nên lựa chọn cơ sở chuyên khoa mắt có uy tín. Hikari tự hào mang đến cho bạn trải nghiệm dịch vụ thăm khám và đo khúc xạ mắt tốt nhất, giúp bạn an tâm tận hưởng cuộc sống.

Myopia Examination & Management at Hikari

Contact Hikari Today for a Comprehensive Eye Examination by Our Experienced Ophthalmology Team

Hikari Eyecare is a specialized eye center focusing on vision care and myopia management, equipped with advanced technology and a highly experienced team of eye specialists, providing personalized solutions for each patient.

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