What is 20/20 Vision?

During your comprehensive eye exam, the goal of eyeglasses or contacts is to correct your vision as best as possible.  So what exactly does 20/20 mean?

When you read the letters on an eye chart, we are measuring your visual acuity, or the sharpness of your vision. The top number is your distance from the chart, calibrated for 20 feet. The bottom number is the distance a person with normal eyesight can read the same size letters.

If you have 20/40 vision, it means that you can decipher letters at 20 feet what most people can read from 40 feet.

While we all may wish to see 20/20 comfortably and without prescription eyewear, remember that it isn’t everything. There are numerous elements to a comprehensive eye exam. Your optometrist will monitor how efficiently your eyes work together along with the health of your eyelids, cornea, retina, macula, optic nerve, peripheral vision, and so much more.  Often times, your eyes are the window to overall body health, where signs of high blood pressure, diabetes, or many other disorders can be diagnosed and monitored.