It’s common to hear the term 20-20 vision in everyday conversation about eyesight or eye care. According to its formal definition, normal visual acuity is the clarity or sharpness of vision measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have normal vision, you can see things as clearly at 20 feet as someone with 20/20 vision can see things at that distance. If you have farsightedness, it means that you must be as close as 20 feet to see what a person with normal (20/20) vision can see at 100 feet. 

Seeing in 20/20 does not mean that your vision is perfect or your eye care is superior to others. It does not indicate your peripheral awareness or ability to coordinate your eyes or focus and perceive depth, colours, or shapes. Other vision skills are essential to your overall vision, even if you cannot see at a distance.

Some can see well at a distance but cannot bring close objects into focus. This condition may be due to farsightedness, an eye condition that affects focusing ability. Others can see items up close but cannot see those far away, which may be due to nearsightedness, another eye condition that affects focusing ability.

A comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist can diagnose what is affecting your ability to see well. In most cases, your optometrist can prescribe glasses, contact lenses or a vision therapy program that will help improve your vision. If your decreased vision is due to eye disease, you may require medication or brand-new treatment.

Here’s the great news: with correction, about 75 percent of adults have 20/20 vision. Most states’ Department of Motor Vehicles require you to have 20/40 vision or better for a driver’s license, although some states require more accurate vision. People are considered legally blind if their uncorrected vision is 20/200 or worse.

Determining Your Bifocal Prescription

An eye chart measures visual acuity. The top number is your distance in feet from the chart. The bottom number is how far you can see the graph of average vision at the same size. For example, if you have 20-60 vision, your eyesight is worse than average. Twenty feet away, you can read letters most people see from 60 feet.

For children, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends having their eyesight tested by eight of nine since they have lost their natural 20/20 vision. 

Past that age, however, the majority of people’s vision will remain the same, with only slight decreases in their 60s or 70s. This is true for those in their middle ages, but adult eyes gradually lose their ability to focus on objects nearby. Over time, your eyes’ lenses become less flexible, making it harder to change focus from far away to close. This is presbyopia, requiring reading glasses or bifocals to fix the problem.

To ensure optimum eye care, get your eyesight checked every year. The AAO also suggests getting a baseline eyesight test by age 40 since this is the age where significant vision changes and macular degeneration happen.

Factors from vision conditions like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism to eye diseases affect how you see. If your family has a history of these eyesight conditions or you’ve had either since you were a child, you must get checked.

Conclusion

We hope this guide encourages you to get your vision checked for optimal eye care. Not having 20-20 vision is not uncommon and can be resolved with the proper medication or prescription glasses. Don’t let your ocular condition get in the way of your everyday life. Visit an optometrist and get fitted for your corrective lenses now.

Get Surrey eye care by setting an appointment with Abasa Optical today! We offer comprehensive eye exams in Clayton Heights (Hillcrest Village Mall, Surrey, B.C.) for you and your family so we can fit them with whatever they need: lenses, frames, contact lenses, sunglasses, or reading glasses.