Basic optical principles of magnifiers

VERGENCE
 How light rays of an object diverge or converge
when they leave the magnifier

d=o d<f d=f d>f

lenses mostly used just < focal distance

Hand Magnifier:

We can make the light parallel,

diverging or converging by varying
distance
Holding magnifier at focal distance

 Emmetropic or corrected ammetropic eye

without accommodation

20D lens
d=5cm
Who can use 20D magnifier at 4 cm:

20D lens
d=4 cm
 Use of 20D magnifier at 4 cm:

 Uncorrected –5D myopia or strong

accommodation

 Corrected + 5 D hyperope

Because:
- 25 D needed to see at 4 cm
- Magnifier is 20 D
- 5 D divergence = 5 D ‘left’
 Who can use 20D lens at 3.3 cm

20D lens

10cm d=3.3 cm
 Use of 20D magnifier at 3.3 cm
 Uncorrected –10D myopia
 10 D accommodation:
 Who has that much?
 If you have 10 D accommodation, is it good to use
it all the time?

 Corrected + 10 D hyperope

Because:
- 30 D needed to see at 3.3 cm
- Magnifier is 20 D
- 10 D ‘left’
Stand magnifiers

+20D lens
d=4 cm
5D Divergence
object
 Conclusions

 Correcting refractive error before magnifcation

vital!

AND
 Ensuring the child gets and uses the glasses
 Ensuring client / parent / teacher understands
this is important
 Always consider kind of refractive
error
 Clients with aphakia, hyperopia, poor
accommodation MUST use distance spectacles
with magnifier

 Clients with Myopia

 Normally should use correction (as it is not

easy to take glasses off and on all the time)
 In a few cases can use magnifier without
 Check size of text and reading distance
with and without correction
 Notes on spectacle correction
For near vision magnifiers general rule is:

 Hand held magnifiers: distance correction

 Stand magnifiers: reading spectacles
 High + spectacles:
 Take clients RE into account
 -4.0D myope needs 12.0D magnification: needs
+8.0D spectacles for near
 Last but not least
 Check precise distance of reading

 Without correction (if myope)

 With correction
 With correction and magnifier

Distance will tell you if device is used

comfortably and correctly