Snellen could change under EU laws

British opticians could be forced to adopt a new ‘international’ Snellen chart with alternative scripts if it votes to remain in the UK at the referendum vote in June.

Under proposed EU regulatory changes, Snellen charts around Europe must contain letters and symbols from international alphabets, including Arabic, Russian Cyrillic and Japanese Hiragana.

A source within the newly created Bureau for Eye Health at EU headquarters in Brussels told Optician: ‘Patient research conducted by the bureau suggests that the use of script solely from the English alphabet excludes other cultures, many of whom have expressed offence. British opticians would be forced to use a new version should the country decide to remain in the European Union.’