Procedure Review

Now, let’s review the procedure. Let the patient know what to expect, whether it’s a farmhouse or a hot air balloon. Identify the fixation point to let them know what to look for. It will go in and out of focus as it is taking measurements. "Please maintain your gaze straight ahead and you may blink normally."  Usually if you keep your patients relaxed, most patients will keep their eyes open for a sufficient amount of time. 

What we don't want is the patient to strain and cause tearing while trying to keep their eyes open. Make sure the patient is properly aligned, sitting up straight, feet flat on the floor, slightly leaned forward to rest their chin in a comfortable position on the chin rest. Use the arrows to raise and lower the chin rest to align the temporal canthus (corner) of the eyes with the lines on the side of the instrument along with the forehead strap. Do not forget to make sure the patient has their forehead against the strap.  

On your screen, align the circle and dots with the pupil. Make sure the eye is in focus. You can move the instrument in and out closer to the patient with the joystick. The ARK is automated so it should capture automatically.  Sometimes you may need to initiate the capture manually. You can do so by pressing the button on top of the joystick. Remember you need an average, so be sure to collect 3 measurements per eye if you need to initiate it manually.