Description:

Since 1927 the Phoroptor has set the tactile gold-standard for subjective refraction, and model 11625 carries that heritage into modern exam lanes. Its counter-balanced metal chassis holds nearly 1 000 precision-ground lenses—no interior plastics—to ensure optical centration for decades. Sphere power is split between a strong drum (±16 D) and a weak auxiliary dial (+0.12 D steps) giving a continuous −19.00 D to +16.75 D range; cylinders run 0 to 6 D in 0.25 D steps, available as either plus- or minus-powered systems so practitioners can work in their preferred notation. A double 0–180° axis scale with 5° detents and Reichert’s micro-geared rotary prism (0–20 Δ, 1 Δ gradations) allow silky, one-finger adjustments. Ten auxiliary lenses—pinhole, ±0.12 D fog, ±2 D Jackson cross cylinder, Maddox, red/green, occluder and open apertures—rotate instantly into the light path. Corrosion-resistant metals and a self-leveling nosepiece maintain alignment even under daily alcohol wipes, and every unit leaves Buffalo, NY verified on an auto-indexing lensmeter for power and centration.

Economic Advantage:

Unlike digital refractors that demand proprietary displays and firmware licenses, the purely mechanical 11625 never goes obsolete; many practices keep the same body 25 years, replacing only the $20 forehead pad and occasional dust cover. Lens drums ride on lapped brass bearings, so annual maintenance is a five-minute lubrication instead of a $600 electronics inspection. Because the prism and cross-cylinder are built in, clinicians need no separate handhelds—saving about $700 per lane and speeding each refraction by almost a minute, which adds an extra exam slot every clinic day.