Data input: Determine the notation used in the device and the values of the lines presented. No device will display all the values listed in each of the traditional columns. Convert these values to the decimal DICOM storage values shown on the left of the same row. DICOM values are not meant for data display. In the table, they are listed in scientific notation to avoid confusion with display notations.

In the unlikely event that a value must be stored that does not appear in the lookup table, calculate the decimal equivalent and round to the nearest listed storage value.

Data display: If the display notation is the same as the input notation, convert the DICOM storage values back to the original values. If the notation chosen for the display is different from the input notation, choose the value on the same row from a different column. In certain cases this may result in an unfamiliar notation; unfortunately, this is unavoidable, given the differences in size progressions between different charts. If a suffix (see Attribute "Visual Acuity Modifiers" (0046,0135) ) is present, that suffix will be displayed as it was recorded.

Suffixes: Suffixes may be used to indicate steps that are smaller than a 1 line difference. On traditional charts, such suffixes have no defined numerical value. Suffixes +1, +2, +3 and -1, -2, -3 may be encountered. These suffixes do not correspond to a defined number of rows in the table.