The RAF Rule (Royal Air Force Rule) is a specialized instrument used in ophthalmology and optometry to measure the near point of convergence (NPC) and near point of accommodation (NPA)
This tool is essential for assessing binocular vision and diagnosing various visual disorders. The RAF Rule consists of a 50 cm long ruler with a slider that holds a rotating four-sided cube, each side featuring different targets and measurements
One side of the cube has a vertical line with a central dot for convergence fixation, while the other sides provide lines of near reading examples
The instrument is designed to measure objective and subjective convergence in 1 mm increments, making it highly precise
The RAF Rule is particularly useful for diagnosing and treating conditions related to binocular vision, such as convergence insufficiency and accommodative dysfunction
In clinical practice, the RAF Rule is used to determine the objective and subjective convergence points, examine accommodation, and identify the dominant eye