HandyRef-K Portable ARK
Refraction and keratometry that goes to the patient
The HandyRef-K is a lightweight handheld autorefractor/keratometer for the times the patient cannot come to the instrument: children, wheelchair users, bedside, nursing home visits and screenings. Auto shot mode captures without the operator having to judge the moment, and it does retro illumination observation and mire ring keratometry like its tabletop siblings.
What it does
- Lightweight, compact handheld design
- 3.5-inch full graphic color LCD screen
- Auto shot mode for easy data capture
- Retro illumination image observation
- Keratometry measurement with mire ring
- Removable magnetic occluders
Is it right for your practice?
Best fit
Pediatric practices, practices doing nursing home or school screenings, and anyone who regularly examines patients who cannot sit at a tabletop instrument.
Why consider it
There is no substitute when the patient cannot come to the chair. A tabletop autorefractor is not an option for a toddler, a wheelchair patient who cannot transfer, or a screening event in a school gym. Auto shot mode captures without the operator having to judge the moment, and it does retro illumination observation and mire ring keratometry like its tabletop siblings.
What to compare
It is a second instrument, not a first one. If every patient you see can sit at a table, this is capability you will not use, and the money may go further in a better tabletop ARK unless portability solves a recurring patient-access problem. Count how many patients a month you genuinely cannot measure at the instrument before deciding - for most comprehensive practices that number is small, and for pediatric and outreach-heavy practices it is the whole argument.
Ask me about
Building a screening program around it if that is where you are heading, and how the data comes off it into your records.
Specifications
| Auto refractometer Measurement Range Sphere | -20.00 to +20.00 D (VD = 12mm) (0.12 / 0.25 D increments) Cylinder 0 to 12.00 D (0.12 / 0.25 D increments) Axis 0 to 180° (1° / 5° increments) |
|---|---|
| Minimum measurable pupil diameter | ø2 mm |
| Auto keratometer Measurement Range Curvature Radius | 5.00 to 13.00 mm (0.01 mm increments) |
| Refractive Power | 25.96 to 67.50 D (0.12 / 0.25 D increments) |
| Cylindrical Power | 0 to 12.00 D (0.12 / 0.25 D increments) |
| Axis | 0 to 180º (1° / 5° increments) |
| Sagittal Measurement | 25º each from the center (superior side, inferior side, temporal side, nasal side) |
| Pupil Size Measurement Range | 1.0 to 10.0 mm (0.1 mm increments) |
| Fixation Target | Scenery |
| Display | 3.5-inch color LCD |
| Interface (Main Body) | USB: 1 port Wireless LAN (WLAN): 1ch (Wireless LAN (WLAN)-equipped model only) |
| Power Specification Battery Pack | Lithium-ion battery (7.2 V 1800 mAh) |
| Station Feed | DC 9 V 2 A (maximum) |
| Dimensions/Mass (Main Body) | 206 (W) × 181 (D) × 224 (H) mm (including occluders) / 998 g (including battery pack) 8.1 (W) x 7.1 (D) x 8.8 (H)” (including occluders) / 2.2 lbs. (including battery pack) |
| Printer | Thermal line printer with easy loading and auto cutter (printer-equipped model only) |
| Interface (Station) | USB: 1 port, LAN: 1 port, RS-232C: 1 port (printer-equipped model only) |
| Battery Charging Battery Pack | Lithium-ion battery (7.2 V 1800 mAh) |
| Charging | When inserted in the main body: Approx. 180 min. (when the main body is placed on the station) When inserted in the battery slot: Approx. 140 min. |
| Power Supply | AC 100 to 240 V, 50 / 60 Hz |
| Power Consumption | 60 VA |
| Dimensions/Mass (Station) | 224 (W) x 283 (D) x 147 (H) mm / 2.7 kg (printer-equipped model), 2.5 kg (model without printer) 8.8 (W) x 11.1 (D) x 5.8 (H)” / 5.9 lbs. (printer-equipped model), 5.5 lbs. (model without printer) |
| Standard Accessories | Occluder (2 units), Neck strap, Printer paper (3 rolls / printer-equipped model only), Power cord, Connection cable, Battery pack, Dust cover, Spherical model eye, Contact lens holder |
| Optional Accessories | Carrying case, Carrying case with portable stand, Barcode scanner, Magnetic card reader, EyeCa-RW2, Eye Care card, Communication cable, Battery pack, USB flash drive |
Also in Pretest & Autorefraction
EPIC-6100 Refraction Workstation
Digital refractor, acuity chart, autorefractor/keratometer, OPD and auto lensmeter combined into a 5 by 6 foot workstation, so the patient never moves between devices.
OPD-Scan III Wavefront Aberrometer
Autorefractor, keratometer, pupillometer, corneal topographer and wavefront aberrometer in one instrument, capturing over 20 diagnostic measurements in roughly ten seconds per eye.
OPD-Scan III Visual System
The OPD-Scan III with a tablet-based reporting viewer built for explaining results to the patient in the room.
Specifications reviewed: 2026-09-06
Manufacturer source:
Marco: HandyRef-K Portable ARK.
Configurations and specifications change. Ask me to confirm before ordering.
Talk it through with me
Tell me how your practice handles this now and what you want it to do, and we can work through the options together. You do not need to have settled on a product first.