Exploring the Psychophysics of Keratoconus Using the Moorfields Acuity Chart

The measurement of visual acuity is made using black letters of varying size superimposed on a uniform white background. The objective is to determine the smallest letter, or optotype, that can be correctly identified. One limitation of current tests is the variability of measurements, this making it difficult for clinicians to determine if changes in visual acuity are related to ocular disease. This variability has been attributed to the design of current optotypes, in particular their differing legibilities. Our group has recently demonstrated that a new type of letter chart (Moorfields Acuity Chart), containing letters with a black core and a white border presented on a grey background, reduces the variability of visual acuity measurements. In this study the investigators wish to determine if changes in vision owing to keratoconus, a disease that causes the cornea to adopt an irregular shape, may be detected more easily using the Moorfields Acuity Chart compared with conventional letter charts.