The gold standard in testing

The Kay Picture Test is the only fully researched and validated picture visual acuity test.

Kay Pictures was founded in 1984 by orthoptist Hazel Kay when she researched and developed the Kay Picture Test vision testing system to enable earlier visual acuity measurements of very young children and those with learning disabilities.

Based on her own clinical experience, she continues to develop creative solutions that empower other eye professionals.

The Kay Picture Test was shown to be valid and repeatable within the limits of current gold standards with high testability, in a comprehensive research study carried out by Liverpool University Directorate of Orthoptics and Vision Science, and a number of clinical orthoptic departments across the UK and The Retina Foundation of southwest USA.


Testing children is easier with our picture tests!

The Kay Picture Test was developed by Hazel Kay, an orthoptist and an expert in testing young children’s eyes. Hazel understood from the very beginning that keeping children happy and engaged was half of the challenge.

The Kay Pictures Test uses recognisable, child-friendly pictures that make testing young children’s eyes so much easier. A boot, a duck, a house – our test is based on words and ideas that children know, rather than abstract shapes.

Test with our app

The Kay Picture Test is available in several physical formats, and now you can use the Kay iSight Test app too.

It is simple and intuitive to use, making your testing quick and easy.

FREE resources for eye professionals

Click here to access a collection of free tools, charts and guides to help make it easier for eye specialists to get the most out of Kay Picture Test.

If you have any other suggestions or requests, feel free to contact us.

How-to videos

We have video guides for several of our Kay Picture Test formats. Watch the videos  here on our website or on YouTube.

The Kay Say & Match app for parents

A fun way to help very young children to practise and learn the Kay Picture optotypes.

Learning the picture names and the concept of matching improves a child’s confidence to perform the picture vision test at the earliest possible age.

Practioners can also order a pack of 50 patient leaflets for free. The leaflets explain what the app is and how to download it.