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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

The Optokinetic Response as a Quantitative Measure of Visual Acuity in Zebrafish

The Optokinetic Response as a Quantitative Measure of Visual Acuity in Zebrafish

Published on: October 9, 2013

Eye examinations improve visual acuity across ages.

Carolyn M Machan¹, Linda Lillakas, Patricia K Hrynchak

¹University of Waterloo, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Waterloo, Ont, Canada.

Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. Journal Canadien D'Ophtalmologie

|August 13, 2013

Summary

Refractive testing significantly improved best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) compared to presenting visual acuity (PVA) in most patients. This visual acuity improvement increased with longer intervals between eye exams, highlighting the importance of regular optometric care.

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Area of Science:

Optometry and Vision Science
Ophthalmology
Clinical Research

Background:

Presenting visual acuity (PVA) reflects vision without correction, while best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) indicates the best possible vision with refractive correction.
Understanding the relationship between PVA and BCVA is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of refractive interventions and monitoring visual health over time.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changes relative to presenting visual acuity (PVA) based on patient age.
To determine the impact of the time interval between eye examinations on the difference between BCVA and PVA.

Main Methods:

A retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed 6397 patient files from a Canadian Optometric Clinic.
Mean decimal PVA and BCVA values were calculated for patients grouped by age and fitted using nonlinear regression.
The logMAR difference between PVA and BCVA was analyzed based on the time elapsed since the previous eye examination.

Main Results:

BCVA was significantly greater than PVA for both right and left eyes across all age groups.
In 70% of patients, PVA differed from BCVA by at least one line.
The difference between BCVA and PVA increased with longer intervals between eye exams, from 0.075 logMAR (<1 year) to 0.107 logMAR (≥5 years).

Conclusions:

Refractive testing demonstrably improves BCVA over PVA in the majority of patients across a broad age spectrum.
The findings underscore the clinical significance of regular eye examinations for optimizing visual outcomes.