How to Read Eye Charts

The eyes are the mirror of the soul.

Adults and children need regular routine eye exams to detect abnormal changes and diseases of the eyes. One part of the eye examination includes reading an eye chart. Eye care professionals use these charts to measure visual acuity.

Instructions

1. Stand 20 feet from the posted eye chart. Cover one eye at a time. Read the chart as instructed.

2. Read each line until the letters become too blurry for you to decipher. Repeat the same steps with your other eye.

3. Ask the optometrist to explain your eye exam results. An example of the visual acuity score you might receive looks like this: 20/40. This score shows that your vision at 20 feet is comparable to what a person with normal vision reads at 40 feet.

Tips & Warnings

• You may take the eye chart exam wearing your contacts or glasses.

• Normal visual acuity is 20/20.

References

• Monroe Community College: Paramedic - Snellen Eye Chart: To Test Visual Acuity