Did you know there is an alternative way to check your visual acuity?
Visual acuity refers to the clarity or sharpness of vision when measured at a distance of 20 feet. Optometrists and ophthalmologists may use eye charts, such as the Jaeger, Snellen and random E, to determine how well a patient can see letters and shapes. It can detect refractive errors, which more commonly known as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Patients need to be physically present to have this done.
However, in a study entitled The Philippine Peso Bill as an Alternative Near Visual Acuity Chart in Filipino Eyes: A Pilot Study, it showed that is actually possible to use a new Php100 bill to measure the visual acuity.
All a patient needs to do is to prepare an unwrinkled Php100 bill, your reading glasses and a piece of clean tissue paper; and follow the steps below:
Published in 2021, the study was done by UERM Memorial Medical Center’s Resident Dr. Lee Jerome Briones and Asian Eye Institute’s Glaucoma Specialists Dr. Edgar Leuenberger and Dr. James Paul Gomez. It won first place in the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO) Residents’ Paper Competition.
The study was actually initiated in the middle of the COVID-19 outbreak. While doctors saw that there was an increase in the usage of teleconsultation, it was still difficult to evaluate the eyes and interpret results. One of the important tests done during consultations is visual acuity testing. Gadget-based applications were also available, but these required a subscription fee, a strong internet connection and/or a specific phone software like Android or Apple.
Now that clinics and hospitals have reopened to allow for in-person consultations, many patients have opted to return to see their doctors. However, this study remains valuable, especially in areas where there is little to no access to eye doctors and when COVID-19 alert levels still change across different areas. While it is in no way a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam, it can serve as a prompt for patients to seek further consultation with an eye doctor.
If your vision seems blurry while viewing the small prints on the Php100 bill, or if you are experiencing in any changes in your vision like having blurred vision, clouded or dim vision, double vision, set an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible.
Want to learn more about it? Click the link to read the publication.
