Made in the USA

About The Lumidial® Team

“Necessity is the Mother of Invention”- Plato

Optometrist Dr. Bob often felt like a hypocrite, telling his patients to use good light for reading, while he spent his days in a darkened exam room trying to see his phoropter dials. Reading the cylinder power was simple, but not the sphere power window. It was difficult to discriminate between .00 and .50, .25 and .75, and the black or red numerals  On the cylinder axis dials, the axis markings were hard to differentiate, making quick and accurate axis readings more difficult. This occasionally led to transposition errors and inaccurate prescriptions, resulting in lost revenue from rechecks and eyeglass remakes. When he became a presbyope, these problems worsened. He considered purchasing OEM illuminated phoropters, but they had exposed wires that became kinked when staff accidentally spun the phoropter 360 degrees. While the sphere, cylinder and axis dials were easier to see, the axis markings were blurry due to diffraction. When he considered the cost of his trade-in plus $2000.00, it didn’t make economic sense.

“Enter the Electronics Expert”

One day, as he struggled to read the phoropter dials, a patient asked him why he didn’t have an illuminated instrument. He explained to “Dan” the deficiencies and expense of the OEM models. Due to Dan’s inventive nature and extensive background in electronics, the idea of “Phoroptolite” was born.

Early Phoroptolite prototypes included unwanted external wiring until Dan came up with the idea of using a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. They decided to mount the battery module above the patient’s head, which had the unexpected but beneficial effect of providing the patient a “visor”, which reduced overhead glare during refraction.They tried fiber-optic lighting, but chose LED’s which aim directly at the visual tasks, reducing glare in the user’s eyes. They designed circular lighting arrays that surround the axis dials and provide direct rather than retro-illumination. This resolved the axis marking blur caused by diffraction in OEM models, improving the ability to get quick, accurate prescription readings while enhancing the looks of the phoropter and its ease of use by both doctor and patient.

Dr. Bob has been practicing optometry in northern California for 28 years and has “Phoroptolite” in his three exam rooms;

“Since I installed ‘Phoroptolite’ on my ten-year-old phoropters, numerous patients have commented on my ‘new equipment’. When illuminated, it gives the phoropters a ’high-powered’ look, and really makes it easier to quickly read the prescription. Even my pre-presbyopic assistants appreciate the ease with which they can now accurately dial in a patients habitual Rx!” 

Dan works in the electronics industry, holds a U.S. Patent on an alarm security device, has taught electronics at a local adult school, and is always developing and testing ideas for new inventions;

“I’m glad I was able to help Dr. Bob design, create and manufacture the “Phoroptolite”. I noticed the last time he examined my eyes that he didn't have to keep double-checking his prescription readings, and he could see them without turning on the room lights. It seemed to make his examination easier and faster!"