An automated refraction system is a group of ophthalmic devices used during an eye examination

Eye examination

An eye examination is a battery of tests performed by an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or orthoptist assessing vision and ability to focus on and discern objects, as well as other tests and examinations pertaining to the eyes....

 to aid in the determination of a person's refractive error and prescription

Eyeglass prescription

An eyeglass prescription is an order written by an eyewear prescriber, such as an optometrist or ophthalmologist, that specifies the value of all parameters the prescriber has deemed necessary to construct and/or dispense corrective lenses appropriate for a patient.If an examination indicates that...

 for glasses

Glasses

Glasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...

 or contact lenses.

The standard components of an automated refraction system are:

• an electronic and motor driven phoropter
  Phoropter
  A phoropter is an instrument commonly used by eye care professionals during an eye examination, containing different lenses used for refraction of the eye during sight testing, to measure an individual's refractive error and determine his or her eyeglass prescription.Typically, the patient sits...
  
   (auto-phoropter, auto-refractor head) used to present powered lenses
  Lens (optics)
  A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts light, converging or diverging the beam. A simple lens consists of a single optical element...
  
   in front of the patient's eyes,
• a hardware or software-driven controller that changes the lenses in the phoroptor for the subjective portion of the testing,
• an eye chart
  Eye chart
  An eye chart is a chart used to measure visual acuity. Types of eye charts include the logMAR chart, Snellen chart, Landolt C, and the Lea test.-Procedure:Charts usually display several rows of optotypes , each row in a different size...
  
   to aid in the determination of visual acuity
  Visual acuity
  Visual acuity is acuteness or clearness of vision, which is dependent on the sharpness of the retinal focus within the eye and the sensitivity of the interpretative faculty of the brain....
  
   during the test,
• an autorefractor that measures the patient's objective refractive error, normally used as the starting point of the subjective testing,
• an autolensmeter that measures the powers of the patient's current pair of glasses or contact lenses.

Automated refraction systems currently on the market vary in features, level of automation, ease of use, training required and documentation. Some systems contain automatic detection and compensation of common refraction issues such as accommodation

Accommodation (eye)

Accommodation is the process by which the vertebrate eye changes optical power to maintain a clear image on an object as its distance changes....

 and "over-minusing". An automated refraction is quick and painless.

Some advantages of automated refraction systems vs. manual refraction equipment are:

• less manual labour by the practitioner or technician
• more automation of repetitive and iterative tasks in the refraction
• ability to present former and new values quickly for validation
• reduced risk of human error
• direct transmission of results to Electronic Medical Record
  Electronic medical record
  An electronic medical record is a computerized medical record created in an organization that delivers care, such as a hospital or physician's office...
  
   (EMR) software - see paperless office
  Paperless office
  A paperless office is a work environment in which the use of paper is eliminated or greatly reduced. This is done by converting documents and other papers into digital form. Proponents claim that "going paperless" can save money, boost productivity, save space, make documentation and information...
  
  
• improved office efficiency