Mystery Device....

**FVCCHRIS** · 03-12-2010, 03:05 PM

Calling all you old-timers out there! Just uncovered in our storage unit, a piece of equipment which we can't find any info on. Might you know what this is?? It's made by Univis and kinda looks like a visual skills tester but says "alpascope" on it. It displays a single horizontal black line with an adjustable background lighting device. I'm guessing some kind of contrast sensitivity tester?

Please don't tell me it's for "scoping" out patients "alpa" levels, becuase It's ALPA, not ALPHA! Nor is it a dog food tester- Those were Alposcopes. :bbg:

**Ory** · 03-12-2010, 03:14 PM

Here's a journal article that seems to say it is for measuring glare sensitivity: http://www.biomedsearch.com/nih/Tint...e/4025503.html

**kgcopley** · 03-12-2010, 03:18 PM

It was supposed to measure light sensitivity. Katz and Klein in Sacramento used to dist when I worked there in the mid '60s.

**FVCCHRIS** · 03-12-2010, 05:28 PM

Thanks alot All! Mission accomplished. Now, anyone out there wanna buy an antique Alpascope?? :shiner:

**Clearlightoptical** · 03-12-2010, 10:47 PM

I'm hurt that you didn't show it to me today..... maybe next time, eh? Thanks for all your hard work, dedication, and helping with that whole bending of heaven and earth jobs we have you do. Love ya (like a brother Optician) Lynn @ ClearLight Optical

**Chris Ryser** · 03-13-2010, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by FVCCHRIS

I'm guessing some kind of contrast sensitivity tester?

Please don't tell me it's for "scoping" out patients "alpa" levels, becuase It's ALPA, not ALPHA! Nor is it a dog food tester- Those were Alposcopes.

Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1985 Jul;62(7):478-81.
Tinted hydrogel lenses: an assessment of glare sensitivity reduction

Lutzi FG, Chou BR, Egan DJ.

The effect of tinted flexible contact lenses on light sensitivity and photophobic response has often been questioned but never thoroughly investigated.
An Alpascope was used to investigate whether tinted hydrogel contact lenses would relieve glare sensitivity in pre-adapted contact lens wearers. Various densities of sky blue and autumn amber Cibasoft hydrogel lenses were used in the study.
Analysis of the Alpascope data using the t-test, one-way analysis of variance and Duncan's test showed that there was no reduction in glare sensitivity when tinted contact lenses were worn.

PMID: 4025503 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

**FVCCHRIS** · 03-13-2010, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1985 Jul;62(7):478-81.
Tinted hydrogel lenses: an assessment of glare sensitivity reduction

Lutzi FG, Chou BR, Egan DJ.

The effect of tinted flexible contact lenses on light sensitivity and photophobic response has often been questioned but never thoroughly investigated.
An Alpascope was used to investigate whether tinted hydrogel contact lenses would relieve glare sensitivity in pre-adapted contact lens wearers. Various densities of sky blue and autumn amber Cibasoft hydrogel lenses were used in the study.
Analysis of the Alpascope data using the t-test, one-way analysis of variance and Duncan's test showed that there was no reduction in glare sensitivity when tinted contact lenses were worn.

PMID: 4025503 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Copy that Chris, And you're welcome Lynn. Steve Buscemi and N. Cage will be stylin' !