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Visual Acuity Chart Collection

Visual Acuity Chart Collection

Number 7 in the Hanks Monograph series is a collection of visual acuity charts, available for instant download. This is great for optometrists with a variety of charts. They are also valuable for health care practitioners (like doctors and nurses) who need to screen the vision of patients.

The high resolution printable charts are for measuring distance visual acuity (VA). There are standard Snellen Letter Charts – included here in 3 versions to avoid memorising. There are also options for Number Charts, LogMAR and Indirect (Mirror) Charts.

​There are also charts for use with young children who cannot reliably recognise letters. The optotypes have been tested and validated with pre-school children (aged 3 to 5 years). These are included in 2 versions.

More specialised charts are for use with young children, as well as people who cannot speak English, or reliably recognise letters. The subject simply indicates the direction of the “Tumbling E” (Illiterate E)  or the Landolt ring.

​The collection also includes charts for use when screening for astigmatism, or when measuring the cylinder axis of the astigmatism.

This whole collection is a great resource, especially for optometrists visiting nursing homes or for primary care doctors in their consulting rooms.

TIP: Print any of these charts on standard A4 paper for use at 3 metres (10  feet), or on A3 paper for use at 6 metres (20 feet).

Click here to go to the page.

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Growth Plan for Optometrists

Optometry Growth Plan

Number 1 in the Hanks Monograph series is a detailed and practical plan for achieving growth in your optometry practice.

The plan format is easy to follow and work your way through. You can then involve your practice staff, so achieving engagement and sharing the tasks that need to be completed.

Importantly, this monograph includes a complete example to show how the Growth Plan Worksheet is used.

TIP: Make this growth plan a project with your practice staff. Involve them and embrace their enthusiasm.

Click here to go to the page.

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Library of Forms for Optometrists

This resource is getting a great response from optometrists in many countries – it’s a library of forms that are ready for use in their practices.

There are over 200 pages in the collection and they are indexed into 14 areas:  For Use In-Practice;  Schools;  Staff Meetings;  Calculators;  For Clinical Use;  Dispensing;  Contact Lenses;  Practice Management;  For Use by Others (like referral sources);  Patient Education;  Employment;  Community Talks;  Press Releases;  Reference tables;  In Practice Signs.

TIP: Print your choice of forms and make photocopies for use in your practice, or copy them onto your letterhead where appropriate.  This is an outstanding resource.

Click here to go to the page.

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Click here to view the ‘Table of Contents’.

 

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School Vision Screenings

This is a plan for implementing a program of Vision Screenings as a community service for a local school.

There are 3 resources making up this program:

  1. A letter to offer the Vision Screenings to the school principal. You can use this form, or use it as a template to write a letter on your practice letterhead.
  2. A feedback form for teachers to record there observations about the vision of each child.
  3. The report form for sending Vision Screening results to the parents or guardians.

TIP:  Use this program as a community service and to help raise awareness of your optometry practice.

Click here to go to the page: Then scroll to >Forms & Misc.

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How to get teacher feedback about a child’s vision

Looking after the vision of children is a good way to grow an optometry practice. However, children are often unable to give reliable information about their symptoms; so it’s important to understand the signs of a possible vision problem. Optometrists routinely ask parents what they have noticed, but often some of the best observations will come from the child’s teacher.

The website linked below has a handout that can be given to parents for them to pass along to the teacher. We can then gather more information about how a vision problem is affecting the child’s behaviour and school performance.

TIP: Print the handout and make copies for the consulting room. When a situation arises where a prescription would be given only if warranted by the signs & symptoms, give a form to the parents to pass on to the teacher for them to record their observations. The form is then returned at a follow-up assessment when a more informed decision can then be made about treatment.

​Click here to go to the page: Then scroll to >Patient Education.

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A survey of new patients by an optometrist

Advertising is expensive, so it’s important to understand what is actually working. If we measure the facts we will know where our new patients are really coming from.

The website in this link includes a download of a short survey for new patients to complete in the waiting room. It only takes one minute for each patient, but the combined results will be very informative. It is also a good idea to repeat the survey over time, to see how the results change when different types of advertising are used.

TIP: Print the A5 survey and make photocopies. Place these on a clipboard and invite patients to give their feedback when they arrive for an appointment. A sample size of 50 completed surveys should give a meaningful result.

Click here to go to the page:  Then scroll to >Forms & Misc.

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How can an optometrist attract more patients

The most common complaint from optometrists in many countries is that they do not have enough patients. They say that they are trained, equipped and ready, but that their challenge is that they are not busy enough.

The website linked below has a free download that is a practical plan to be implemented by the practice owners and staff. (The worksheet plan is also supported by a separate discussion paper on the same subject, on the same website).

* This plan was originally published in the book What Patients Want

TIP: Print the worksheet plan and discuss it with all practice staff. The results are designed to be measurable, so assign appropriate tasks and then monitor these to the completion of each step.

Click here to go to the page:  Then scroll to >Practice Growth.

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How to print a visual acuity chart

It can be very useful to be able to print a Snellen Visual Acuity chart on a standard colour printer. They can be used for home visits for eye tests, school vision screenings, or by GP doctors for use in their rooms.

This website of optometry resources includes downloads for two versions – one on A4 paper for use at 3 metres (10ft – ideal for a local doctor’s consulting room) and a standard 6 metre (20ft) version to be printed on A3 paper.

TIP: Print copies of the 3M version on A4 paper with a colour printer. Then laminate these, or get them laminated at a colour copy centre. Use the finished charts as a handout when you introduce yourself to local doctors (GP’s).

Click here to go to the page:  Then scroll to >Clinical Aids.