WHAT IS A REFRACTION? THE "1 OR 2" EYE TEST EXPLAINED.
Dr. Mabie performing a refraction eye exam on her daughter Audra using a phoropter to determine an eyeglass prescription.
What Is a Refraction?
The subjective refraction is the part of an eye exam that people usually find most memorable. "Which is more clear, 1 or 2?" It is the part where patients give their own input as to which lenses make their vision clearest.
Why Do People Worry About Picking the Wrong Answer?
A lot of people worry about making the wrong choices, afraid if they pick 1 when they should have picked 2 then the prescription will turn out all wrong? I try to reassure patients that things will get double checked in different ways, and I will not let them go astray.
It's Not a Test, It's Bracketing
The choices are really a form of bracketing. We're zeroing in on where the prescription parameters need to be.
How to Get a Good, Accurate Refraction
So how to get a good accurate refraction?
Relax. Keep both eyes wide open even though one eye may be blocked. If you close one eye, you will probably be squinting a bit with the other one.
Do not stress over any one choice.
Actually it's best if choices are made quickly, the more you deliberate, the more you will try to overfocus and strain. If you don't want that to happen with your new glasses, you shouldn't do that while testing.
If you don't see much difference between the 2 options, just call it a draw. That tells me that we've reached an endpoint and we don't need to keep trying to zoom in.
If choices seem difficult I can tell and will find other ways to test your vision so that you will get an accurate prescription.
Conclusion
A refraction might feel like a test with a right or wrong answer, but it's really just a conversation between you and your eye doctor, one that gets more accurate the more relaxed you are. There's no wrong choice, only helpful information. Next time you're asked "1 or 2?", have you ever found yourself second-guessing your answer? Now you know it's nothing to stress about.
Author Bio
Dr. Mabie has practiced optometry for 30 years, providing comprehensive eye exams and family eye care in the greater Twin Cities area, with locations in St. Paul and Oakdale. With three decades behind the phoropter, she's walked thousands of patients through the refraction process, and still finds ways to make it feel simple and stress-free.