Wavefront aberrometers have proven in labs and in clinics to be very accurate in obtaining a prescription. However, these aberrometers are generally both expensive and large, and therefore are not very well suited for rural populations and developing countries. Researchers helped convert these large instruments from the lab into a small unit. The first units are being manufactured in labs in Madara, India, at very low-cost, are hand-held, and can be built for a fraction of the cost of lab aberrometers. It's easy to operate. Non-optometrists are using it because it doesn't require any prior skill, and it can give patients a prescription in seconds. Clinical studies have shown that the device can give accurate prescriptions similar to those received from standard optometrist visits.

Originally released by Inside Science, 2016. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on September 25, 2017.

IYL Wavefront Aberrometer (2:52);