-The Future of Optometry- Launch of "Open Field Refraction System PHANTOM™"
NIDEK CO., LTD. will launch the 'PHANTOM™' on April 3, an innovative vision testing system that measures refractive errors with both eyes open. This open-field device eliminates the stress and visual accommodation issues associated with traditional one-eye exams.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 3, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 3, 2026 at 17:10
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 03:32 (418h 22m after Collected)
NIDEK CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Gamagori City, Aichi Prefecture; President and CEO: Motoki Ozawa) will launch the "Open Field Refraction System PHANTOM" (hereinafter referred to as PHANTOM) on Friday, April 3.
PHANTOM is an examination device that allows for visual acuity and refractive error measurements—necessary for determining eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions—while the patient looks at objects with both eyes open, without placing lenses or other objects that block the field of vision in front of their eyes. This provides a new measurement experience for examinees.
In recent years, myopia has garnered attention as a global social issue, and the population requiring eyeglasses or contact lenses is increasing year by year. It is predicted that by 2050, approximately 5 billion people, about half of the global population, will be myopic*. Under these circumstances, living with better vision is a crucial element supporting Quality of Life (QOL), drawing increased public interest.
Our company has historically supported visual environments worldwide through examination equipment symbolized by the hot air balloon mark (balloon chart) floating on the horizon. Now, we have developed PHANTOM as a product that realizes a new measurement experience not bound by conventional frameworks.
Humans naturally see things using both eyes. However, the widely used method for general visual acuity and refractive error measurement involves testing each eye separately. This can cause changes in accommodation (focusing) and pupil size, which may affect the measurement results.
In an "Awareness Survey on Ophthalmic Measurement Methods" conducted by our company targeting individuals in their 20s to 40s, 62.1% of respondents felt that their vision "seemed different than usual" during visual acuity tests with one eye covered, and 47.7% experienced straining in the uncovered eye while the other eye was covered.
Approximately 1 in 2 people felt fatigue, tension, or stress during the measurement, citing anxiety and pressure from "having to answer correctly" as reasons.
Furthermore, responses such as "the examination felt long" and "I strained when one eye was covered" accounted for a quarter of the total, confirming that visual acuity testing impacts people with psychological and physical stress.
Regarding the ability to measure both eyes simultaneously instead of one by one, there are voices of expectation such as, "The measurement seems like it would end quickly" and "I feel like I could undergo it without stress."
PHANTOM is an examination device that allows for visual acuity and refractive error measurements—necessary for determining eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions—while the patient looks at objects with both eyes open, without placing lenses or other objects that block the field of vision in front of their eyes. This provides a new measurement experience for examinees.
In recent years, myopia has garnered attention as a global social issue, and the population requiring eyeglasses or contact lenses is increasing year by year. It is predicted that by 2050, approximately 5 billion people, about half of the global population, will be myopic*. Under these circumstances, living with better vision is a crucial element supporting Quality of Life (QOL), drawing increased public interest.
Our company has historically supported visual environments worldwide through examination equipment symbolized by the hot air balloon mark (balloon chart) floating on the horizon. Now, we have developed PHANTOM as a product that realizes a new measurement experience not bound by conventional frameworks.
Humans naturally see things using both eyes. However, the widely used method for general visual acuity and refractive error measurement involves testing each eye separately. This can cause changes in accommodation (focusing) and pupil size, which may affect the measurement results.
In an "Awareness Survey on Ophthalmic Measurement Methods" conducted by our company targeting individuals in their 20s to 40s, 62.1% of respondents felt that their vision "seemed different than usual" during visual acuity tests with one eye covered, and 47.7% experienced straining in the uncovered eye while the other eye was covered.
Approximately 1 in 2 people felt fatigue, tension, or stress during the measurement, citing anxiety and pressure from "having to answer correctly" as reasons.
Furthermore, responses such as "the examination felt long" and "I strained when one eye was covered" accounted for a quarter of the total, confirming that visual acuity testing impacts people with psychological and physical stress.
Regarding the ability to measure both eyes simultaneously instead of one by one, there are voices of expectation such as, "The measurement seems like it would end quickly" and "I feel like I could undergo it without stress."