圖片來源The Eyes Have It at Your Essential Eye Exam | Premier Health先說結論,"越遠越好"。教科書上的距離都是20英尺或6公尺,國內驗光人員法規定是最短5公尺,若用鏡子反射則最短2.5公尺。
太短會發生什麼問題呢? 這會牽涉到光聚散度、眼睛調節與屈光不正的原理,主要會有兩個問題產生。
一、所測視力有誤差
首先當物體離眼睛越近時,物體發出的光越呈現發散狀態,越遠越不會發散,無限遠則接近平行光。
再來說到屈光不正,例如近視眼是一種眼球屈光力過強的現象(因此須戴凹透鏡矯正),當物體位於眼前近距離時,物體發散的光正好與近視眼球過強屈光力抵銷,因此近視眼的人在未戴眼鏡時,不須調節即能看清近距離物體。
所以輕微近視的人在較短驗光室內能輕鬆得到良好的視力。
但這是不正確的視力結果。
例如近視-0.50D眼睛在2公尺驗光距離,不戴眼鏡即有最佳視力;而若在5或6公尺以上距離的標準驗光室,光線不再發散,此時視力即會變差。
二、驗光距離太短還會造成另一個問題就是驗光的度數會有誤差
當物體較近時,光線會發散,此時眼睛為了看清楚會動用調節力提高眼睛屈光力。
這在驗光時就會造成問題。
驗光過程我們並不希望眼睛處於用力調節的狀態,所以在度數裡面就會加入一部分的正度數去取代眼睛所提高的屈光力,結果就是會驗出較低的近視度數或較高的遠視度數。
例如在標準距離的驗光室驗出-1.00D的近視眼,在2公尺的驗光距離若同樣戴-1.00D將使眼球必須用力0.50D,此時若換成-0.50D的眼鏡,眼睛反而不需用力,所以會被誤判為近視-0.50D。
當然驗光過程牽涉到非常複雜的設定與程序,檢查距離只是其中一個環節。
合法的驗光所都有標準的驗光距離及有執照的驗光人員,或者大家檢查眼睛時也可以自行判斷或詢問驗光室的距離(成年男子一步約60公分),太近的話須用鏡子反射,否則將有一定的誤差會產生。
參考資料
PRIMARY CARE OPTOMETRY, 5th Theodore Grosvenor, O.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.O.
"Because rays of light diverging from a point 6m from the eye have a vergence of 0.17D on reaching the eye, "optometric infinity" differs from real infinity by an appreciable amount. When testing distances shorter than 6 m are used,what effect should we expect this to have on visual acuity?
As long as letter size is such that a 6/6 (20/20) letter subtends an angle of 5 minutes of arc at the spectacle plane,an emmetrope or an uncorrected hyperope with reasonable facility of accommodation would be expected to have no difficulty clearing up the letters at a distance less than 6 m.However, an uncorrected myope would be expected to have artificially high visual acuity under these circumstances.
For example, at a testing distance of 3 m (10 feet), a 0.33 D myope would be in perfect focus and would likely read at least one more line of letters than at the 6 m distance. In the experience of the author, visual acuity for uncorrected (and corrected) myopes becomes a problem for testing distances much closer than about 5 m (16 feet).
The effect of testing distance on visual acuity should not be confused with the effect of testing distance on refractive findings. For an acuity chart at 4 m, the vergence of light is 0.25 & for all patients, no matter what the refractive state, so myopes will tend to be underminused and hyperopes will tend to be overplussed. If the testing distance must be less than 20 feet, the use of a mirror system should be considered."