Calculate VA vs IOL Reference
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Calculate VA
Instantly convert between common visual acuity measurements. This tool is designed for eye care professionals needing to fluidly switch between Snellen, Decimal, logMAR, and ETDRS Letter formats. Get accurate conversions with a single tap.
- Instant visual acuity conversions
- Supports Snellen 20/20
- Supports Snellen 6/6
- Supports Decimal
- Supports logMAR
- Supports ETDRS Letters
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Calculate VA gives you a quick and accurate way to easily convert between common measures of visual acuity. Conversions are made instantly when you enter one of the visual acuity measurements and press "Calculate". Choose from: * Snellen 20 * Snellen 6 * Decimal * logMAR * ETDRS Letters This is useful for any optometrist or ophthalmologist who needs to convert fluidly between all 5 of the common visual acuity measures.
IOL Reference
This ophthalmology utility helps surgeons find FDA-approved intraocular lenses. It features a searchable database of nearly 10,000 lenses, updated with new approvals and changes. The app also serves as a social media and networking platform for eye care professionals.
- Searchable IOL database
- FDA-approved lens catalog
- Database updates
- Ophthalmology networking
- Eye care tools
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IOL Reference is a cross-platform ophthalmology utility, social media, and networking service that provides users with a wide array of eye care tools to optimize their outcomes. This unique app allows surgeons to quickly search for an FDA-approved, currently marketed intraocular lens (IOLs) that meets their needs and specifications. The database contains almost 10,000 individually cataloged lenses and will be updated to include newly FDA-approved IOLs, changes to current lenses, and corrections. This app was created by Gurpal Virdi, MD and Matt Hirabayashi, MD
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: IOL Reference at weekly against Calculate VA's every 12 months. IOL Reference also leads on ratings volume (15 vs 3). Calculate VA's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 89%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Calculate VA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IOL Reference has 15 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Calculate VA's written reviews are positive against 89% of IOL Reference's.
Calculate VA ships an update every 12 months, IOL Reference weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and July 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Calculate VA | IOL Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.7 (15 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 88.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 15 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 823 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | David Kramer | Gurpal Virdi |
Customer experience
Calculate VA
IOL Reference
In-app purchases
Calculate VA
No in-app purchases
IOL Reference
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Calculate VA free?
Is IOL Reference free?
Which has better reviews, Calculate VA or IOL Reference?
Do Calculate VA or IOL Reference have ads?
Which is updated more often, Calculate VA or IOL Reference?
Other comparisons
