What Does 20/20 Exactly Mean?

It’s everyone’s dream to have a 20/20 vision but what does it exactly mean?

The measurement of visual acuity is normally measured and stated as 20 along with another number that’s why a 20/20 vision is considered as the normal vision. If the bottom number happens to be larger than 20, then the visual acuity is worse.

For instance, a person with a 20/100 has a worse visual acuity than someone with a 20/40 vision.

Aided by studies and a mathematical formula, it was calculated that an average person should be able to see clearly from 20 feet away. With that, a person that can see 20/20 can see as small as a 0.35-inch letter at 20 feet.

On the other hand, a person that has a 20/100 visual acuity can only recognize a 1.75 inch or larger letter 20 feet away.

In a nutshell, what a person with a 20/20 vision can see clearly at 20 feet, while a 20/100 seeing person would have to be several times closer than 20 feet away to see the exact same thing.

The charts for visual acuity measurements are all based on these scientific calculations. The first standardized eye chart was invented in 1862 by Herman Snellen, a renowned ophthalmologist. To this day, the exact similar charts are still used to measure vision. Vision charts are projected or digital, using a mirror in simulating a 20-foot long room.

While 20/20 is considered to be a normal or even perfect vision, do you know that there’s actually a vision beyond perfect?

Yes, that is very much possible. A lot of fortunate people can even see better than 20/20, like 20/16, 20/12 or even 20/10.

If you’re itching to live a life with a 20/20 vision or even better, there’s certainly a way for that. At Shinagawa, countless fortunate patients have had a better vision than 20/20 with some of them even reaching 20/10 following LASIK.

Having safe, painless and tested LASIK at Shinagawa can certainly get the job done for you! Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 to start your journey.