Safety App Of The Week

December 30, 2013 No Comments

Below is our “Safety App of the Week”.  These weekly features are published every Monday.  New apps are tested on Apple iPads and rated from ♥ to ♥♥♥♥♥ (♥♥♥♥♥ is the best).  Prior app of the week articles are archived here.

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Vision Test

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Official Description  

“THE #1 MEDICAL APP OF 2010!

-FEATURES-

– Visual Acuity Test
– Astigmatism Test
– Duochrome Test
– Colour Test
– Far field vision test
– Optician Finder
– Eye Quiz
– Eye Advice and facts
– iPhone / iPod / iPad support

-WHY DOWNLOAD-

You receive regular reminders in the post to get your eyes tested and you don’t respond, you just stick them straight in the bin.  You’re probably one of the 40% of people who haven’t had your eyes tested in the last two years and although you are convinced they’re fine, you find that your vision isn’t quite as good as it used to be; but you don’t have time to go down to the opticians to be sure, and to be quite honest you can’t really be bothered.  Sound familiar? Introducing, the all new Vision Test App: an eye test in the palm of your hand.

From Visual Acuity, Astigmatism and Colour Tests – Vision Test will evaluate your eyes in a variety of different ways… .  If it turns out you really do need to go the optician, the app will let you know; and even locate your nearest one! “¹

 

Editorial

At two companies I worked for, we required employees who operated mobile equipment (e.g. lift trucks, bridge cranes, etc.) to regularly take a comprehensive eye examination from our company doctor.  We were surprised by both the high percentage of operators who never bothered to have regular eye examinations, and the number who exhibited serious vision problems!

People are required to pass an eye examination before they are issued a driver’s license, so why shouldn’t they also be required to pass an eye examination before operating potentially dangerous mobile equipment at work?

Because of economics, logistics, and/or turnover not all companies are able to send their employees to a doctor for a vision examination.  For screening purposes, such businesses may want to use an app to perform the initial evaluations.  If the results from the app vision test indicate possible vision deficiencies, then the employee should be referred to an appropriate medical professional for further testing.

Thumbs Up

• cost is free
• no registration or sign in required
• well-organized, easy and logical to use without any instruction
• most other vision testing apps offer only one type of test, this app offers eight different eye tests
• their vision tests are similar to those we’ve taken at optometrist’s offices
• the best “free” vision testing app we’ve found

 

Thumbs Down

• no peripheral vision test (click here for a $3.99 Apple app for that)

Overall Rating

• iPad / iPhone –  ♥♥♥

¹ Descriptions courtesy of Apple Inc.

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