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Human eyes are among the most advanced organs on Earth. They work closely with the brain in many ways. The eyes are full of nerves, muscles, soft tissues, and blood vessels, all of which work to provide perhaps the most valued sense: sight.
Since the eyes are so complex, it’s not always easy to determine the right prescription for 20/20 vision. This is where autorefractor keratometers come in. These devices are a great addition to any eye care practice. They help eye doctors take accurate, non-invasive measurements of vision problems and corneal shape.
If you are looking for an autorefractor keratometer, you may feel overwhelmed by the many options available. Choosing the right one for your practice helps your patients get the care they need so you won’t overspend or hurt your budget.
In this guide, we will discuss the top 5 autorefractor keratometers, explain their and how they work, and highlight important features to consider when choosing a device for your practice. This guide aims to give you basic information about these devices, helping you make a smart buying choice.
What Are Autorefractor Keratometers?
Autorefractor keratometers are diagnostic devices that eye care professionals commonly use to capture accurate measurements of refractive error and corneal curvature. These two measurements are essential when establishing a baseline for prescribing corrective lenses and detecting various eye conditions.
Autorefraction keratometers are combination devices that provide both autorefraction and keratometry measurements, making them incredibly effective for small clinical and busy hospitals.
They let practitioners do a full front-eye assessment quickly in one sitting, cutting down on exam time and making measurements more consistent. The measurements are also noninvasive, making them incredibly comfortable for the patients.
Their speed, precision, and ease of use made autorefractor keratometers irreplaceable in modern optometric and ophthalmologic practices.
How Autorefractor Keratometers Work
Autorefractor keratometers are combination devices that provide two essential measurements when providing an objective baseline for a prescription.
The main function of these devices is autorefraction. This process measures how light changes through the eye and reflects off the retina. The device shines light into the eye, and the patient is shown an image that moves in and out of focus. They measure the reflecting light to determine the refractive error and when the eye is focused correctly.
Autorefraction makes this process easier and gives quick and reliable results. This is especially important for young children and older adults. The other primary function is keratometry, which measures the cornea’s curvature.
The automated process looks at the curvature in different directions. It does this by shining rings or patterns of light onto the corneal surface. Analyzing the distortion or the light pattern determines the shape of the cornea and any irregularities. This is important when determining astigmatism, fitting contact lenses, and repeating for surgical interventions.
It’s important to note that while these devices can’t detect any eye disease, some models can indicate the presence of cataracts, aiding in further diagnostics.
Top 5 Autorefractor Keratometers in 2025
Autorefractor keratometers are evaluated by their accuracy and reliability, measurement speed, ease of use, device specifications, and additional features a particular device might have. Below are short reviews of the top five devices on the market.
1. Nidek ARK-F Auto Refractometer
The Nidek ARK-F is the best auto refractometer. It provides an effortless workflow.
This is done with fully automated measurements. The device detects the position of the eyes. It starts measuring without needing to press a button.
The measurement unit will automatically move to the measuring position of one eye and then the other. The device has automated eye detection and voice guidance in 9 languages. This helps you and your staff overcome language barriers and take accurate measurements.
The device has a large tilt and swivel monitor, which lets you place it anywhere in the exam area. It has various controls, including a joystick, tablet control, and wired/wireless handheld control.
Key Specs:
- Sphere: -30.00 to +25.00D (VD = 12 mm) (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Cylinder: 0 to ±12.00D (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Axis: 0 to 180° (1°/5° increments)
- Min pupil diameter: ø2mm
- Curvature radius 5.00 to 13.00mm (0.01mm increments)
- Refractive power 25.96 to 67.50D (n=1.3375) (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Cylindrical power 0 to ±12.00D (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Accommodation measurement range: 0 to 10.00D (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Pupillary distance measurement range: 30 to 85mm (1mm increments) (Near point PD: 28 to 80 mm at WD=40 cm)
- Corneal size measurement range: 10.0 to 14.0mm (0.1mm increments)
2. Topcon KR-800 Auto Kerato-Refractometer
Topcon KR-800 Auto kerato-refractometer features a wide, 8.5-inch touchscreen control panel for controlling the device’s main functions. The control lever operations are much better than in previous models. This is due to a 23% weight reduction, which leads to smoother operation and a more fluid measuring process.
Like the last model we mentioned, the KR-800 measures autorefraction and keratometry automatically. However, it does not have corneal mapping or topography features. However, its EHR connectivity does provide easier operation and data entry, while its Rotary Prism Measuring System provides stable measurements, even for patients with media opacities.
Key Specs:
- Sphere: -25.00 to +22.00D (0.12/0.25D increments)
- Cylinder: 0 to ±10.00D (0.12/0.25D increments)
- Axis: 0 to 180° (1°/5° increments)
- Min pupil diameter: ø2mm
- Curvature radius 5.00 to 10.00 mm (0.01mm increments)
- Refractive power 33.70 to 67.50D (0.12/0.25D increments)
- Cylindrical power 0 to ±10.00D (0.12/0.25D increments)
- Pupillary distance measurement range: 20 to 85mm (0.5mm increments)
3. ZEISS VISUREF 150 ($2,999.00)
Designed to provide precise and accurate measurements of refractive error and corneal curvature, the ZEISS VISUREF 150 is a state-of-the-art autorefractor keratometer that perfectly blends accuracy, reliability, and ease of use.
The device features an ergonomic forehead and chin rest, which helps the patient maintain a stable position, thus reducing movement and ensuring measurement accuracy. The data acquisition is fast, which is perfect for the elderly and children, as it significantly reduces the time these patients have to stay still.
This device is suitable for routine eye exams that help determine refractive error and preoperative cataract and refractive surgery assessments. The device has a built-in memory and stores up to 10 measurements per eye and average values. These can be printed with a built-in thermal printer or sent to the printer attached to the local or wireless network.
Key Specs:
- Sphere: -25.00D to +22.00D (increments of 0.12D/0.25D)
- Cylinder: 0.00D to ±10.00D (increments of 0.12D/0.25D)
- Axis: 0° to 180° (1° increments)
- Corneal vertex distance: 0.00, 10.00, 12.00, 13.50, 15.00mm
- Curvature radius 5.00 to 10.20 mm (0.01mm increments)
- Refractive power 33.00 to 67.50D (0.12/0.25D increments)
- Pupillary Distance (PD): 10mm to 85mm
- Minimum pupil diameter: ø2mm
4. Zeiss i.Profiler Plus ($6,666.00)
Zeiss I. Profiler Plus is a relatively compact, 4-in-1 diagnostic system that combines an auto-refractometer, keratometer, corneal typographer, and ocular wavefront aberrometer in a single device. This is because the most accurate lens prescription can only be written if you have all the necessary information about the patient’s eyes.
The device provides a complete overview of the patient’s visual performance and eye condition, identifies any ocular pathologies and abnormalities, and analyzes the entire pupil aperture, not just the central zone.
The device works with your own system and uses ZEISS i.Scription technology lets you prescribe ZEISS lenses. It also aids the process by generating fully detailed reports and accurate measurements of each eye for better contact fitting.
The measurement process is fully automated. It captures measurements of both eyes in 60 seconds. This is possible because of the Hartmann-Shack high-resolution sensor. It captures 1500 points across a 7-mm pupil aperture.
Key Specs:
- Sphere: -20.00 to +20.00D
- Cylinder: 0 to ±8.00D
- Axis: 0 to 180°
- Min pupil diameter: ø2mm
- Refractive power 25.00 to 65.00D
5. Nidek ARK-1A Autorefractor & Keratometer
Nidek ARK-1A is a multimodality auto ref/keratometer that includes both functions, vision comparison, opacity assessment, and fog under astigmatism correction. It also has auto-tracking features across all three spatial planes, with automated measurements occurring once the machine is aligned correctly.
This makes measurement and data capture much easier for patients and practitioners. The measurement data can be displayed simultaneously on-screen and printed via a high-speed thermal printer with an auto-cutter. You can also transfer the data via LAN or wirelessly for further analysis or storage.
The Recall function is particularly useful, as it allows you to compare vision corrected with AR data against the vision corrected by the patient’s own glasses and uncorrected vision. Recall primarily helps demonstrate the necessity for more appropriate vision correction for the patient.
Key Specs:
- Sphere: -30.00 to +25.00D (VD = 12 mm) (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Cylinder: 0 to ±12.00D (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Axis: 0 to 180° (1°/5° increments)
- Min pupil diameter: ø2mm
- Curvature radius 5.00 to 13.00mm (0.01mm increments)
- Refractive power 25.96 to 67.50D (n=1.3375) (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Cylindrical power 0 to ±12.00D (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Accommodation measurement range: 0 to 10.00D (0.01/0.12/0.25D increments)
- Pupillary distance measurement range: 30 to 85mm (1mm increments) (Near point PD: 28 to 80 mm at WD=40 cm)
- Corneal size measurement range: 10.0 to 14.0mm (0.1mm increments)
Buyer’s Guide to Autorefractor Keratometers
Choosing an autorefractor keratometer involves more than just buying the device with the best specifications. When selecting a device for your practice, consider precision, accuracy, and measurement range. You should also consider ease of use, comfort, portability, and other important features.
This part of the guide will help you learn the key things to consider when buying an autorefractor keratometer.
Measurement Accuracy
Accuracy is the foundation of any diagnostic instrument in ophthalmology and optometry, and your device should deliver consistent and repeatable results. More advanced models incorporate a unique wavefront technology algorithm based on the Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor.
This wavefront technology reduces measurement errors and boosts reliability. It ensures that glasses and contacts fit the patient, helping reduce the number of appointments needed to correct prescription mistakes.
Patient Comfort and Exam Speed
Even though autorefractor keratometers are non-invasive, eye exams can be extremely stressful. This is especially true for younger patients and those with disabilities. As a result, the team must complete the exam quickly while considering the patient’s comfort.
Speed and comfort are essential for patient satisfaction. Look for models that have quick acquisition times, auto-focus, and easy adjustments. These adjustments can include height, an adjustable chin rest, and other helpful features. This also applies to auto-tracking and auto-alignment features, particularly useful when working with children.
Compatibility with EHR and EMR Systems
Compatibility with electronic health records is a must now that everything is digitized. Modern devices have many ways to connect, like USB, LAN, and Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is immensely popular because it removes the need for cables to transfer data into patient records.
Some models support DICOM standards. They also offer API integrations with your current systems. This makes them great for practices that want to simplify patient documentation. It helps reduce mistakes in manual data entry.
Special Functions
Not all autorefractor keratometers are the same. Different practices have different needs.
Access to extra features can be helpful. These features may include pediatric or small pupil modes. They also include retro-illumination for screening the front part of the eye. Fogging systems help improve the accuracy of refraction.
Other special features may include LCD touchscreen panels, wireless controllers, thermal printers, and a user-friendly interface. There are many different options. Choose the one that best fits your practice, but remember that extra features often come with an extra price tag.
Portability and Compact Designs
Most autorefractor keratometers are desktop or stationary devices. However, not all practices have enough space or need a stationary setup.
Portability is a key feature for small and mobile clinics. Lightweight and easy-to-transport autorefractor keratometers are available.
For a portable model, choose one smaller but still has all the main features. The device should have built-in memory, which allows you to transfer data between it and a computer or EHR.
Final Thoughts
The top five devices reviewed in this guide are among the best the current market offers. At Nava Ophthalmic, accurate measurement tools are essential for patient satisfaction and business success. That’s why we provide a carefully chosen selection of advanced autorefractor keratome. These tools meet many clinical and operational needs.
To learn more, check out our full range of Autorefractor Keratometers. You can also contact us today to talk with a specialist and find the best fit for your practice. Your patients deserve the best, and so do you.
John Berdahl, MD
Meet Dr. Berdahl
Dr. Berdahl is most motivated by the trust his patients place in him during their moments of vulnerability.
That patient trust has, first and foremost, driven him to become an accomplished surgeon. However, as he meets patient needs and learns more about the problems they face, he’s had several opportunities to stretch his skills as an inventor and problem-solver. He co-invented the MKO melt, an innovation used in our Sioux Falls clinic that provides sedation during cataract surgery without the use of an IV or opioids, and developed Interfeen, a rare disease drug that helps with ocular conditions. He created astigmatismfix.com, a resource that has helped tens of thousands of surgeons eliminate residual astigmatism after cataract surgery, and he co-founded ExpertOpinion.MD, a site where patients can request medical opinions from authentic world experts. He also is the founder of Balance Ophthalmics, the first non-surgical, non-pharmacologic way to lower eye pressure for glaucoma treatment, which was FDA approved in 2024.
Interests & Added Expertise
Dr. Berdahl is equipped to employ the most innovative and tested techniques available to effectively treat most diseases of the anterior segment (front part of the eye). He is exceptionally skilled at diagnosing the best treatment for varying stages of glaucoma, corneal diseases, and cataracts. He is also a meticulous refractive surgeon.
To advance the technologies available to our patients, Dr. Berdahl collaborates with numerous ophthalmology companies as a consultant. However, to minimize potential bias, all consulting fees are donated to charity.
Education
- Hills-Beaver Creek High School, Hills, MN
- Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD
- Mayo Medical School, Rochester, MN
- Mayo Clinic Internship, Scottsdale, AZ
- Duke University, Durham, NC
- Minnesota Eye Consultants Fellowship (Minneapolis, MN)