Having a 20/20 vision is often attributed to having a “perfect” vision – but is this really the case? Guilford Eye Center discusses a few vision-related terms that would help clarify this common perception about 20/20 vision.
Visual Acuity
Your eye doctors use visual acuity to determine the sharpness of your vision. Using the Snellen chart, they measure your ability to identify letters or numbers printed on the eye chart from a certain distance. Each line of characters on the Snellen chart has a corresponding size, with the top-most line consisting of the largest letter and the bottom-most line the smallest letter.
Visual acuity is typically represented by Snellen fractions, such as 20/20. The top number refers to the viewing distance between the patient and the eye chart, and this is usually 20 feet. Meanwhile, the bottom number is the value that corresponds to the particular line on the Snellen chart where you can identify letters.
Is 20/20 the Perfect Vision?
Having 20/20 vision does not necessarily mean it’s the perfect vision. It basically denotes the normal level of visual acuity that a person should have. If the smallest letter that you can recognize with the aid of eyeglasses is the largest letter, this would mean you have a 20/200 visual acuity. Experts consider this as legally blind.
Nevertheless, it’s also possible to have a sharper vision than 20/20. If you can still read the letters below the line that corresponds to a 20/20 vision, you likely have 20/15 or 20/10 visual acuity.
The doctors at Guilford Eye Center has decades of combined experience in professional eye care. Our expertise includes eye exam, dry eye and various eye diseases. Call us at (336) 387-6777, or fill out our contact form to request an appointment. We serve patients in Greensboro, NC, and nearby areas.
