20/20 Vision – What Does it Really Mean?

We’ve all heard of the term 20/20 vision several times in the past. But what does this really mean? We’ve heard our opticians, friends and colleagues talk about 20/20 vison but we didn’t really understand how this works and what it means. Let’s find out.

The 20/20 Vision

 If someone has 20/20 vision, they can see things that an average person can see while standing 20 feet away from an object. Simply put, it’s a measure of visual acuity. This includes elements such as contrast, sharpness, clarity and form or shape.

Most ophthalmologists aim to bring a person’s vision up to 20/20 by prescribing eyeglasses or contact lenses. Having said that, let us understand 20/20 vision in detail.

20/20 vision determines

• The strength of your vision from a distance of 20 feet (The standard yardstick)
• Your ability to perceive colour or colour vision
• Depth and detail
• Focus capacity
• Clarity, sharpness and contrast

20/20 vision or other such fractions such as 20/40 and 20/60 vision, simply put are measurements of vision acuity and sensitivity. Another name for this is Snellen fractions. This term was coined after the Dutch Ophthalmologist Herman Snellen who designed the eyesight measurement chart, the Snellen chart in 1862 and has been successfully used ever since. Make an appointment for vision screening and eye examination in Jamaica at your nearest Courts Optical eye care centre.

The Snellen Chart

The Snellen chart usually consists of eleven lines of block letters. The topmost row on the chart has a single very large letter. As we go down the chart, the number of letters increases with each row but the size of the letters decreases. To take this test, you will be asked to cover your one eye and read out the letters from each row loudly from 6 metres or 20 feet away. The smallest possible row of letter you are able to read clearly will indicate the visual acuity of the eye being tested. The process is repeated for the other eye.

Visit Courts Optical eye care store close to you for prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses in Jamaica.

Most opticians examine your vision from 20 feet away. This is a standardized way to measure a person’s visual acuity. So, if you have 20/20 vision absent the need to wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, it is safe to say that you have clear vision. This however, should not prevent you from visiting your eye doctor for your routine eye examinations as it is important to maintain such vision standards.

Location: Jamaica