Eye Charts is a visual acuity testing app designed for easy and accurate checking of vision. It's especially useful for children aged 6 and older. Parents can use this app at home to monitor their child's eyesight, while healthcare professionals can perform routine screenings in their practices. Early detection of myopia is crucial because it allows parents and doctors to take preventive action. This can help in stopping pseudomyopia from developing into full myopia or prevent nearsightedness from getting worse.

One of the key advantages of Eye Charts is that it reduces variability in results. Traditional paper charts can fade, warp, or be memorized over time, leading to less accurate testing. In contrast, Eye Charts presents optically accurate optotypes that are randomized with every test. This feature is essential for producing meaningful results during repeated testing at home, in schools, clinics, or even through telehealth settings.

Eye Charts supports a variety of chart types, including Snellen charts, ETDRS charts, Landolt C charts, Tumbling E charts, HOTV charts, numbers charts, and shapes charts. These charts use LogMAR scaling, which changes the letter size across rows. The app also supports multiple visual acuity notations for scoring results, such as Fraction scoring, LogMAR scoring, Decimal scoring, and VAS scoring.

The app offers flexible test distances, making it easy to use in small rooms, hallways, or any ad-hoc testing spaces. Eye Charts works seamlessly on both iOS and Android devices. It is self-illuminated, which ensures that the visibility of the chart remains consistent regardless of room lighting or weather conditions. Users can adjust the screen brightness, allowing for longer testing distances, such as the standard 6 meters.

There are several scenarios for using Eye Charts. In a typical doctor-patient setting, the healthcare professional can conduct visual acuity tests efficiently. Alternatively, users can perform self-diagnosis using the self-diagnosis mirror mode. In this mode, individuals stand in front of a mirror with the app running in mirror mode, wearing an eye patch over one eye. The effective test distance is double the distance between the user and the mirror. Users can also use Bluetooth keyboard integration to place the device a few meters away on a table and use the keyboard arrow keys to indicate what they can read.

Eye Charts not only records test results but also allows for test results visualization. Results can be tracked over time using simple line graphs. This feature makes it easier to identify gradual changes in vision or stability after any intervention, making it a valuable tool for both parents monitoring their children’s eyesight and clinicians tracking changes over visits.

The app's accuracy has been independently evaluated in a peer-reviewed academic study. Previously published as Visual Acuity Charts, it was featured in a JAMA Ophthalmology publication. This study compared multiple iPhone-based visual acuity apps by measuring the accuracy of optotypes across devices. Eye Charts demonstrated the lowest measurement error among the apps evaluated, making it the most reliable app tested in that comparison.

Detecting myopia often starts with distance visual acuity testing. A decline in visual acuity can signal the onset of myopia, enabling early intervention and potentially better outcomes for vision health.

It's important to remember that while Eye Charts can replace printed eye charts, it does not replace the need for regular optometrist consultations. Comprehensive eye exams by healthcare professionals are essential for maintaining eye health. The app does not test for conditions like strabismus, esotropia, exotropia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, so it’s crucial to seek professional medical advice at the first signs of vision issues.

In summary, Eye Charts offers an innovative way to test and monitor vision, providing both parents and healthcare professionals with the tools they need for effective visual acuity testing.