Seeing The World

20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity, or the clarity or sharpness of vision measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at this distance. If you have 20/100 vision, it means that you must be as close as 20 feet to see what a person with normal vision can see at 100 feet.

20/20 vision does not mean perfect vision, but it only indicates the sharpness or clarity of vision at a distance. There are other important vision skills. Among them are peripheral awareness or side vision, eye coordination, depth perception, focusing ability and color vision that contributes to ones overall vision ability. If a person has 15/15 vision, it does not mean that the individual's vision is better than one who has 20/20. In the U.S., optometrists use 20 feet as the standard to express sharpness of vision. In Britain, visual acuity is expressed in meters. 6/6 is considered normal visual acuity.

Some people are able to see clearly at a distance, but are unable to bring near things into focus. This is called farsightedness or presbyopia. Some can see close, but not see items far away; this is astigmatism. Legal blindness is considered 20/200. Make sure to keep regular eye examinations, for in the future, it will help you to continue to see the world around you.