Diopter
Current as of: December 18, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
DiopterThe diopter is a unit of measurement used to describe how well a person sees. Farsightedness is measured in positive diopters, and nearsightedness is measured in negative diopters. Astigmatism is measured in diopters that can be either positive or negative. With diopters, the farther a measurement is from 0, the more severe the refractive error. For example, if a person has -4 diopters of nearsightedness, it means that the farthest point you can see clearly is one-fourth of a meter (about 10 inches) from your eye. Current as of: December 18, 2019 Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review: Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology |
![]() |
Search the
Healthwise Knowledgebase This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org. © 1995-2020 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. |