To fit a contact lens to a patient\'s eye, a keratometer can be used to measure
ID: 2299579 • Letter: T
Question
To fit a contact lens to a patient's eye, a keratometer can be used to measure the curvature of the cornea-the front surface of the eye. This instrument places an illuminated object of known size at a known distance p from the cornea, which then reflects some light from the object, forming an image of it. The magnification M of the image is measured by using a small viewing telescope that allows a comparison of the image formed by the cornea with a second calibrated image projected into the field of view by a prism arrangement. Determine the radius of curvature of the cornea when p = 29.0 cm and M = 0.0180.
Explanation / Answer
We use the lens eqn 1/s + 1/s' = 2/R and M = -s'/s...Here s = 29.0cm
So s' = -M*s = -0.018*29.0cm = -0.522cm
Now 2/R = (1/30 + 1/(-0.522)) = -1.88
Therefore R = 2/-1.88 = -1.064 cm