Visual Acuity Test

Step by Step Procedure

Step 1
Explain procedure to the patient.
Branden Enomoto is explaining to his patient
what she has to do.
Here is the patients
perspective of looking at
the chart.
Step 2
Position patient 20 feet (6 meters) from
snellen chart.
The measuring tape represents how far
the patient has to stand from the chart
Emily Stands 20 feet away from the
chart.
Step 3
Ask patient to cover left eye and read
smallest line of letters that he or she can
see.
Closing her left eye, Emily uses her hand.
Perspective view of how the patient sees
the chart with left eye covered
Step 4
Record the distance patient is from the chart
compared to the size of letters patient can
see clearly. (i.e 20/20, 20/30, 20/40)
Here are the most common lines the
patients could see from 20 feet.
Ask the patient which set of letters
can he/she see.
Step 5
Record results with minus number if patient
makes an error on a line:
a. 20/40: with one error = 20/30 - 1
b. 20/40: with two errors = 20/40 - 2

Dr. Enomoto writes down how many
errors Emily made in a line.
A plus sign is written down, only if patient uses chart with symbols
and correctly recognizes the type of symbol on the line
Step 6
Repeat test with right eye covered.
Dr. Enomoto now tells Emily to close her right
eye with her hand.
Emilys perspective of how she sees the
chart
Step 7
Repeat test, allowing patient to use both
eyes
Now using both eyes, Emily is told to read
the lines she can see.
This is what Emily sees from her point of
view
Step 8
Repeat each test with patient wearing
glasses (if he or she has prescription lenses.)
A close up of the patients glasses. Repeating the steps, Emily closes
her left eye and reads the line she
can clearly see from the bottom of
the chart.
Emily, now closes her right eye and
reads the chart from left to right.