nærpunkt

Nærpunktet, or the near point, is the closest distance at which the eye can form a clear image of an object when it is using its maximal accommodative power. It is a fundamental measure of the eye’s ability to focus on close objects and is used in optometry and ophthalmology to assess accommodation and presbyopia. The term is closely related to the near point of accommodation (NPA).

In a young, otherwise healthy eye, the near point is typically about 7 to 10 centimeters from the eye. As people age and the crystalline lens becomes less flexible, the near point moves farther away. This change, known as presbyopia, reduces the eye’s ability to focus on near objects and often necessitates reading spectacles or other corrective measures. The near point can vary with refractive error: hyperopes may have a farther near point, while myopes can sometimes see nearer objects with less accommodation, depending on correction.

Nærpunktet is influenced by several factors, including age, refractive status, fatigue, and ocular health. It is usually measured by determining the smallest size of a target that can be clearly resolved at progressively decreasing distances, with the eye fixated at the target and any refractive error corrected.

Understanding nærpunktet helps in diagnosing accommodation disorders, planning vision correction, and assessing suitability for tasks requiring near focus. It is distinct from the far point, which relates to the distance at which distant objects can be seen with the eye’s accommodation. In clinical practice, near-point measurements inform decisions about corrective lenses, contact lenses, and management of presbyopia.