20/30 to 20/60, this is considered mild vision loss, or near-normal vision. 20/70 to 20/160, this is considered moderate visual impairment, or moderate low vision. 20/200 or worse, this is considered severe visual impairment, or severe low vision.
Basically, if it is at least 20/70, is uncorrectable—even with contacts, glasses or surgery—and interferes with your daily activities, it can be legally considered “low vision.” In order to be legally blind, you must have a visual acuity of 20/200.
To be diagnosed as having low vision, visual acuity is 20/70 or poorer – and cannot be corrected or improved with regular prescription eyeglasses. That means if you stand at 20 feet from the eye chart, you can only see what a person with normal vision can see from 70 feet away.
Visual acuity is a number that indicates the sharpness or clarity of vision. A visual acuity measurement of 20/70 means that a person with 20/70 vision who is 20 feet from an eye chart sees what a person with unimpaired (or 20/20) vision can see from 70 feet away.
A person with 20/40 vision may or may not need eyeglasses or contacts, and can discuss his or her options with a doctor. In some cases, people with very bad vision can only have their vision corrected to 20/70, meaning they can see objects from 20 feet away that others can see at 70 feet.
Low vision is significant vision impairment that usually results from serious eye disease or an injury. The vision loss, which is characterized by either reduced visual acuity (to 20/70 or worse) or reduced field of view, can't be fully corrected with glasses, contact lenses, medication or surgery.
20/30 to 20/60 vision in the better eye, even with correction glasses, is considered mild vision loss or mild low vision. 20/70 to 20/130 vision is moderate low vision. 20/200 to 20/400 is severe low vision. If you suspect that you may have vision impairment, it's always best to consult with an eye specialist.
20/30 to 20/60 is considered mild vision loss, or near-normal vision. 20/70 to 20/160 is considered moderate visual impairment, or moderate low vision. 20/200 to 20/400 is considered severe visual impairment, or severe low vision. 20/500 to 20/1,000 is considered profound visual impairment, or profound low vision.
As you can see, 20/80 eyesight is not good for reading or seeing things up close and would be very difficult to do so without corrective lenses or low vision devices.
-3.00 diopters or less is mild. -3.00 to -6.00 diopters is moderate. -6.00 to -9.00 diopters is severe. -9.00 diopters or more is extreme.
20/20 vision is normal vision acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at a distance.
Blindness is a lack of vision. It may also refer to a loss of vision that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Partial blindness means you have very limited vision. Complete blindness means you cannot see anything and do not see light. (Most people who use the term "blindness" mean complete blindness.)
If your vision is 20/60, this means that from 20 feet away you can only see letters that would normally be visible at 60 feet.
However, if your visual acuity is 20/75, it means that you can read the same line of letters from a distance of only 75 feet. This indicates that your vision is not as sharp as someone with 20/20 vision.
In general, the further away from zero the number on your prescription, the worse your eyesight and the more vision correction (stronger prescription) you need. A “plus” (+) sign in front of the number means you are farsighted, and a “minus” (-) sign means you are nearsighted.
What is “Perfect” Vision? While 20/20 vision is considered to be perfect, it's not actually what we think of as perfect. Many people, mostly children, have better than 20/20 vision. Healthy eyes can easily go down to the 20/15 level with some accuracy.
Legal blindness is defined as 20/200 vision. 14 The prescription equivalent is -2.5. It is important to note that prescriptions for corrective lenses are different for each person, and measurements can be different for each eye.
If your vision is blurry, you may have a vision problem such as myopia. Eyeglasses can correct the problem and help you see clearly. An optometrist or ophthalmologist performs a thorough eye exam to figure out what type of lenses work best for you.
Normal: 20/10-20/25. Near Normal visual impairment: 20/30-20/60. Moderate visual impairment: 20/70-20/160. Severe visual impairment: 20/200-20/400, or 11-20 degrees on the visual field.
To drive a vehicle in the United States without corrective glasses, you must have a visual acuity of 20/40 or above. Visual acuity of 20/200 (or worse) qualifies someone as legally blind. Therefore with 20/60 vision, you will either need a visual aid to get your vision to 20/40 or your license will be restricted.
Astigmatism is a common eye problem that can make your vision blurry or distorted. It happens when your cornea (the clear front layer of your eye) or lens (an inner part of your eye that helps the eye focus) has a different shape than normal. The only way to find out if you have astigmatism is to get an eye exam.
This is four lines worse than 20/20 (considered normal, or “perfect” vision) on an eye exam chart. If you can see 20/50 without your glasses, you will not need a special condition put on your license requiring you to wear corrective lenses such as glasses or contacts.