AcuityMaster vs ForeSight
Quick verdict: ForeSight offers free visual acuity software in several tiers; AcuityMaster is for practices that want a Mac-and-Windows, standards-calibrated, fully supported system with included color vision and Worth 4-Dot, starting at $249/seat/year with a free trial.
About ForeSight
ForeSight provides free visual acuity software in several editions (ForeSight Standard, Connect, and Oculi).
How AcuityMaster compares
AcuityMaster differentiates on platform breadth, calibration, and support:
- Mac & Windows, browser-based — nothing to install
- ANSI Z80.21 / ISO 8596 calibration to your lane distance
- Color vision, contrast sensitivity, Worth 4-Dot, pediatric optotypes included
- Direct support and updates from a practicing oculoplastic surgeon
- 15-day free trial; from $249/seat/year
| AcuityMaster at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac & Windows (browser-based Cloud) + Windows desktop (Legacy) |
| Pricing | From $249/seat/year (volume to $99); 15-day free trial, no credit card |
| Charts included | Snellen, ETDRS/LogMAR, color vision, contrast sensitivity, Worth 4-Dot, pediatric optotypes |
| Standards | ANSI Z80.21, ISO 8596, distance-calibrated |
| Hardware | None proprietary — uses your existing monitor |
| Built by | Mark S. Brown, MD, practicing oculoplastic surgeon |
Which is right for your practice?
Free software and paid software both have a rightful place in eye care — which one belongs in your lane depends on who you test and what you need to rely on. Four common profiles:
Cost-conscious practice trying digital charts for the first time. If you are moving off a projector and simply want to see whether a screen-based chart fits your workflow, ForeSight's free editions — it publishes several tiers — are a low-risk way to find out, and for basic daily acuity checks they may serve you fine. The questions to ask before settling in long-term are the ones our digital eye chart software guide covers: calibration, platform, updates, and support.
Pediatric-heavy clinic. This is where AcuityMaster makes its strongest case. It includes Lea Symbols, HOTV, Tumbling E, Landolt C, and picture optotypes, plus crowding bars for amblyopia assessment and video fixation targets for patients too young to play along — all listed on the features page. If a meaningful share of your schedule is under age seven, test any candidate software against that population during a trial before you commit.
Mac-based practice. AcuityMaster Cloud runs in any modern browser on Mac, Windows, and iPad, with nothing to install — see our Mac eye chart software page. Whichever product you evaluate, confirm its supported platforms against the computers actually in your lanes.
Group standardizing across rooms or locations. When several technicians test in several rooms, consistency is the clinical asset: AcuityMaster calibrates every lane to ANSI Z80.21 / ISO 8596 from the entered distance, and volume pricing steps down automatically to $99/seat/year at 50+ seats. Free software can be harder to standardize and support at that scale, though your IT resources may change that calculus.
Switching or getting started
The fairest comparison is a live one. AcuityMaster's 15-day free trial is fully functional — every chart and optotype, no credit card — so you can run it head-to-head with ForeSight on your own patients for two weeks. If the paid tool earns the difference, plans start at $249/seat/year; if not, you have lost nothing.
Common questions
Does AcuityMaster run on Mac?
Yes — AcuityMaster Cloud runs on macOS and Windows in any modern browser.
What standards does AcuityMaster meet?
AcuityMaster meets ANSI Z80.21 luminance requirements and ISO 8596 optotype standards when correctly configured.
Does AcuityMaster include pediatric optotypes?
Yes — Lea Symbols, HOTV, Tumbling E, Landolt C, and picture optotypes, plus crowding bars for amblyopia assessment and video fixation targets.
Comparison based on publicly available information as of 2026. Competitor features and pricing may change — verify current details at ForeSight. AcuityMaster is not affiliated with ForeSight.
Try AcuityMaster in your own exam lane
15-day fully functional trial — every chart and optotype, no credit card.