Optional add-ons that make a real difference.
AcuityMaster works with a wide range of off-the-shelf accessories. None are required, but each can streamline how your team navigates the software during exams.
Anaglyphic red/green glasses
Required for the Worth-Dot-Four test. We recommend Richmond Products 955R adult red/green glasses — durable, lightweight, and clinically validated.
The Worth 4-Dot test assesses binocular fusion, and it only works when the red and green filters properly dissociate the two eyes — so this is the one accessory on this page that is genuinely required if you plan to run that test. Practical guidance: keep a dedicated pair in each lane that runs binocular testing so technicians aren’t hunting between rooms, wipe them down like any other patient-contact item, and replace them when the filters scratch or fade — a degraded filter changes what each eye actually sees. Be consistent about lens orientation from visit to visit so results are comparable over time. If Worth 4-Dot terminology is new to anyone on your staff, the glossary has plain-language definitions.
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USB foot pedal
Foot pedals complement keyboarding — greater comfort, higher productivity, and less wrist strain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. Up to three pedals can replace frequently used keystrokes. Our preferred pedal is pre-programmed and ships ready to use.
The foot pedal earns its keep most in pediatric exams. AcuityMaster’s video fixation targets are USB foot-pedal compatible, which means a solo technician can start and stop the fixation video with a foot tap while keeping both hands free — one to occlude, one to hold a lid or steady a squirming toddler. That is a real workflow difference when there’s no second set of hands in the room. Because pedals simply send keystrokes, any standard USB foot switch that can be programmed to emit a key press will work; if you’d rather not program one yourself, the pre-programmed option linked below ships ready to plug in. See the features page for how fixation targets fit into the pediatric testing workflow.
Wireless keyboards
A standard wireless keyboard from Logitech (or similar) makes navigation effortless — particularly for pediatric, pre-verbal, and retinoscopy exams where the technician needs to step away from the computer.
What to look for: nothing exotic. Any reliable consumer wireless keyboard works, because AcuityMaster is driven entirely by ordinary keystrokes — there is no proprietary remote to buy or replace. Prioritize good wireless range for your room size, a form factor small enough to hold in one hand mid-exam, and easily replaceable batteries. Keyboards with an integrated trackpad add pointer control from across the lane, which pairs well with the undockable control menu in dual-monitor setups. Buy one per lane rather than sharing; at commodity prices, the time saved not shuttling hardware between rooms pays for itself quickly.
Backlit remote keyboard
Our preferred full keyboard remote is the Lenovo backlit model. It permits 100% control of AcuityMaster from anywhere in the exam lane — ideal for low-light exam rooms and hands-free operation.
Why backlighting matters more than it sounds: acuity testing is done with room lights dimmed, and a technician fumbling for the right key in the dark slows the exam and breaks the patient’s attention — especially with children. A backlit handheld keyboard lets staff switch charts, isolate a single line or letter, and toggle test modes by feel and sight without turning lights up between measurements. If your technicians rely heavily on hotkeys, print the keyboard shortcuts reference from the Help & Manuals page and keep it taped near the workstation until the common ones become muscle memory.
A note on choosing your patient display
Your patient-facing monitor isn’t an accessory in the strict sense — it’s the chart itself — but it’s the hardware question we get asked about most, so it belongs here. AcuityMaster runs on standard off-the-shelf displays; there is no proprietary monitor to purchase. Two things matter when you pick one:
Luminance. The ANSI Z80.21 standard for visual acuity testing calls for chart luminance between 80 and 320 cd/m², and ISO 8596 requires optotype contrast of ≤15% of the background. Virtually all modern LCD monitors can operate comfortably inside that luminance range — the practical point is to check the brightness specification before buying, set the display appropriately, and then leave the brightness setting alone so testing conditions stay consistent from patient to patient. Full display and computer specs are on the system requirements page.
Size and placement relative to your lane. Letter sizes in AcuityMaster are auto-calculated from the patient-to-screen distance you enter during calibration, so the screen needs to be large enough to render the biggest optotype you’ll test at your lane’s distance — a longer lane needs a physically larger 20/200-line letter. Mount the display at seated patient eye level, avoid window glare, and measure the viewing distance accurately before entering it. Our digital eye chart setup guide walks through the whole conversion, including mirror-mode configurations for compact rooms.
Common accessory questions
Are any accessories actually required?
Only one, and only for one test: anaglyphic red/green glasses are required to run the Worth 4-Dot binocular fusion test. Everything else on this page — foot pedals, wireless keyboards, backlit remotes — is optional workflow convenience. AcuityMaster runs fully from a standard keyboard and mouse.
Do I have to buy the specific models mentioned here?
No. AcuityMaster is deliberately built around standard, off-the-shelf hardware — ordinary USB and wireless input devices and ordinary displays. The models named on this page are ones we’ve used and can vouch for, not a compatibility list. See the FAQ for more hardware questions.
Can I try my existing lane hardware before buying anything?
Yes — that’s exactly what the 15-day free trial is for. Install it on your existing exam-lane computer and display, run your usual patient flow, and add accessories only where your technicians feel the friction.
Ready to get started?
Try AcuityMaster free for 15 days in your own exam lane.