Dr Alan W Johnston

Historical Significance: Alan Johnston graduated in optometry at the University of Melbourne in 1963. He went into private practice but returned to do a Masters degree and then a PhD degree. He was a research fellow funded by the Australian Road Research Board in Professor Cole's ergonomics laboratory while enrolled as a PhD student. He was appointed lecturer in the Department of Optometry in 1974 and was well regarded as a clinical teacher and an expert in low vision. He served as Clinic administrator for some years and as Associate Dean Research in the Faculty of Science. He became an Associate Professor and resigned in 2000 to enter private practice. He is pictured here with a folding LogMAR chart, a symbol of his interest in low vision and of his attention to using visual acuity measures at distance and near to predict the amount of magnification needed to gain useful reading vison. The LogMAR chart was invented by Ian Bailey and Jan Lovie in 1973 while they were working in the National Vision Research Institute, and which became adopted as the world standard for measuring visual acuity. The LogMAR chart was necessarily large because it had 5 letters on every line. This folding version makes it easier to transport for home visits.