iPad Eye Chart Software for Eye Care Practices

Why an iPad in the exam flow

Most digital acuity systems assume one thing: a Windows PC bolted to one wall in one lane. That is exactly the hardware lock-in AcuityMaster was built to eliminate. Because AcuityMaster Cloud runs entirely in the browser, the "chart" is wherever a modern browser is — a wall-mounted monitor in your primary lane, a Mac in the second room, or an iPad in your hand.

For many practices, the iPad is the overflow answer rather than the primary chart. When the main lane is occupied, a technician can start acuity in a spare room without installing anything. Satellite offices, screening days, and rooms that were never wired for a wall monitor all become usable testing space. One Cloud seat is a seat — not a device license tied to a single machine.

Calibration still matters — on any screen

A word of clinical caution, because it separates a chart app from clinical software: visual acuity is an angular measurement. A "20/40" optotype is only 20/40 if its physical size on screen is correct for the actual patient-to-display distance. AcuityMaster handles this the same way on iPad as on any monitor — you enter the testing distance, and letter sizes are auto-calculated from it, following the ANSI Z80.21 and ISO 8596 standards the rest of the platform is built on.

That also means an iPad does not remove your setup obligations. A handheld display used at an uncontrolled or drifting distance will not produce a defensible measurement on any software. Fix the iPad's position for the test, confirm the distance you entered, and treat it with the same discipline you would give a wall chart. Used that way, it is a legitimate calibrated display; used loosely, no software can rescue the number.

What runs on the iPad

The full AcuityMaster Cloud chart suite is available in the browser, including:

• Snellen (US, metric, and decimal notation) and ETDRS/LogMAR charts
• Pediatric optotypes — Lea Symbols, HOTV, Tumbling E, Landolt C, and pictures
• Color vision screening plates and contrast sensitivity testing
• Worth 4-Dot, red-green duochrome, and astigmatic dial refraction support
• Single-letter, single-line, and multiline display modes, plus crowding bars

See the full feature list for everything included, and system requirements for browser and hardware details.

AcuityMaster on iPad at a glance
How it runs	In Safari on iPad — browser-based, no installation
Also runs on	Mac and Windows in any modern browser (same subscription)
Pricing	$249/seat/year (1 seat) down to $99/seat/year (50+); volume pricing automatic
Availability	AcuityMaster Cloud launches August 1, 2026
Standards	Designed to ANSI Z80.21 and ISO 8596; calibrated to entered distance
Hardware	None proprietary — your existing iPad, monitor, or computer
Built by	Mark S. Brown, MD, practicing oculoplastic surgeon

Built by someone who has actually tested vision

AcuityMaster was built in 2012 by Mark S. Brown, MD, an oculoplastic surgeon in practice since 1998, to fix the problems he kept hitting in his own lanes: blown projector bulbs, limited chart types, and hardware lock-in. The iPad angle is a direct extension of that philosophy — your practice should choose the display, not the software vendor.

Common questions

Do I need a special mount or accessory? No proprietary hardware is required. If you plan to use an iPad as a fixed chart, position it at a known, repeatable distance; see accessories for general setup options.

Is the iPad version different from the Mac version? No — AcuityMaster Cloud is one browser-based application. Mac users can read more on our Mac eye chart software page.

Can I try it first? Yes. The 15-day trial is fully functional — every chart and optotype, no credit card.

Get started

Open AcuityMaster in the browser, enter your testing distance, and test. Start with a 15-day free trial, review Cloud pricing, or browse the FAQ for licensing and hardware questions.