Visual Acuity

A measure of the ability to distinguish fine visual details.

Visual acuity is the clarity of vision held by an individual and is measured as a fraction of normal vision: 20/20 vision indicates an eye that sees at 20 feet what a normal, "standard" eye should see at 20 feet; 20/400 vision indicates an eye that sees at 20 feet what a normal eye sees at 400 feet. Usually measured with a letter chart (Snellen), it can also be measured using pictures, black and white lines or visual evoked potentials.