The history of Precision Vision and The Lighthouse has been over half a century-long and rooted in the same mission-critical quality commitment to the industry and patients as it was in the very beginning.

In the late 1960s Precision Vision’s founder, Ed Kopidlansky, Sr., decided to say, “yes” to creating the Lighthouse charts and subsequently the Lighthouse illuminator cabinets. Ed’s wife, Patricia (namesake of PattiPics™), collaborated with The Lighthouse and Dr. Elenor Faye to create sentences for the Lighthouse PowerCard “Bee” Continuous Text Card. Many flights to New York and long days were spent by Ed and The Lighthouse founders, drafting the iterations of many of the charts used today, including the Lighthouse Pocket PowerCard Number & Word Recognition (also known as the “Game” Card) you see to the left and below.

Exclusively manufactured then and now without compromising standards, Precision Vision continues the honored tradition of providing gold standard tests trusted and relied upon by industry leaders and eye care professionals around the world.

Seen above are the original proofs created and utilized to print the first Lighthouse pocket card manufactured exclusively then and now by Precision Vision.  Click Images to see further detail.

Eleanor Eaton Faye, MD, FAAO: A Little-Known Pioneering Role in Bringing the Professions of Optometry and Ophthalmology Together

By Bruce P. Rosenthal, OD, FAAO
Chief of Low Vision, Lighthouse Guild & Adjunct Professor, Mt. Sinai Hospital Department of Ophthalmology

The following is an excerpt from the writing of Dr. Bruce P. Rosenthal, OD, FAAO. Click the button below to read it in its entirety.

The first Lighthouse was started in New York City and was known as “The New York Association for the Blind, The Lighthouse”.  The Holt sisters father who was the publisher of the Holt book company, said they were “society women” who should start a charity.  The Holts sisters started “The NYAB, The Lighthouse 1905 as well as opening Lighthouse’s around the world. They proceeded to put the name “Lighthouse” in the public domain for others to start Lighthouse’s around the US.  However, Lighthouses around the country are not affiliated with each in anyway.  The current Lighthouse is now known as the Lighthouse Guild when the “Lighthouse International” merged with the Jewish Guild for Blind”.

Dr. Eleanor Faye’s career in “subnormal” vision began, when she asked Gerald Fonda, MD (a pioneer in his own right), to observe patients at the recently opened clinic: The New York Association for the Blind, The Lighthouse. Though the organization had started in 1905, persons with a visual impairment were not treated as patients, until 1953. By 1966, Dr. Faye had succeeded Dr. Fonda, as the first woman medical director of The Lighthouse, as it would come to be known. Thus, began another first: developing a distinctive team of clinicians and nurses to manage the visually impaired population. Members of the team included: a neuro-ophthalmologist, retinal and glaucoma specialists, ocular pathologist, pediatric physician for visually impaired children, a diabetic nurse educator, audiologist, and a psychiatrist for the depressed patients.

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit social enterprise providing employment, support, and training opportunities for people who are blind, DeafBlind, and blind with other disabilities. The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. traces its roots back to 1910 and the formation of a social club called Seattle Association of the Blind. The organization was incorporated in 1918, focusing on creating employment opportunities for people who are blind in the Seattle area.

Click below to browse through the worldwide Precision Vision exclusive manufactured gold standard Lighthouse products.

Q:  What is the difference between Original ETDRS Charts and the Lighthouse ETDRS Charts?

A:  There are no clinical or research based differences in Original ETDRS Charts and the edition of Lighthouse ETDRS Charts. There are a few subtle differences in charts in the form of reference lines along the lower acuity lines as well as a table in the footer of the chart for conversion to Snellen equivalent.