What visual condition is indicated by a difference in the refractive power between the two eyes?

Anisometropia refers to a condition where there is a significant difference in the refractive power between the two eyes. This means that each eye requires a different lens power to achieve clear vision. The disparity can lead to various visual issues, including difficulties with depth perception and binocular vision, as the brain may struggle to fuse the different images from each eye.

In contrast, monovision is a method often used in contact lens fitting where one eye is corrected for distance vision and the other for near vision, typically used by presbyopic individuals. Presbyopia itself is an age-related condition in which the eye's lens loses its ability to focus on close objects, often requiring reading glasses. Scotopia refers to vision in low-light conditions and is not related to refractive differences between eyes.

Understanding these differences helps clarify how anisometropia impacts vision, making it important for opticians to recognize and manage this condition effectively.