Can You Have Better than 20/20 Vision? – ASCO (2024)

Can You Have Better than 20/20 Vision? – ASCO (1)

written by Dr. Jeffrey Lewis Featured OD in ASCO’s Optometry Gives Me Life campaign futureeyedoc.org

Your eyes are one of the most important sensory organs in your body. In fact, there’s a very high chance that you are using your eyes to read this right now! However, most people, when asked, won’t know what 20/20 vision is or what it means for them. On top of that, they often ask if they can have “better than perfect” vision.

What is 20/20 Vision?

No, it’s not talking about your new 2020 New Year’s glasses. 20/20 vision is a term that simply states “average” eyesight. Let’s break it down. The first 20 is how far, in feet, someone stands from an eye chat to take a test. In this case, we’re talking about those old eye charts you’ve seen in movies. However, they’re not often used anymore.

The second number, in this case, another 20, represents what you see in comparison to the average person when you stand at 20 feet. That’s why numbers like 20/20, 20/10, and 20/50 can exist.

How is 20/10 different than 20/50?

Let’s start with 20/10 – this number means that when you stand at 20 feet, you see what the average person could see when standing at ten feet. This is what “better than perfect” vision means. While the average person could see some at 20 feet, you can see much more.

On the other hand, if you have 20/50 vision, that means you have much worse than normal vision. If you are standing at 20 feet with 20/50 vision, then what you see is what an average person would see standing at 50 feet from the poster.

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. So then, what is perfect?

In truth, nothing that the human eye can achieve – and possibly nothing at all. Though it might sound strange, we have perfectly average eyes, and some people have a bit better than average.

On top of this, eyes have evolved to serve the purpose that the animal needs. For example, hawks, cats, dragonflies, goats, and even mantis shrimp can all see “better” than humans can in some way.

However, we can also see better than them in other ways. For example, cats can see long distances but not very short distances. All this is to say, your vision, based on genetics and environmental factors, can be better than 20/20 without a problem, it’s just not “better than perfect” or even “perfect.”

Don’t Forget Regular Checkups!

No matter what your vision, your eyes should still be checked on a regular basis. Though many wait to see a Doctor of Optometry until they think something is wrong, you should actually be going to the doctor at least once a year!

Can You Have Better than 20/20 Vision? – ASCO (2024)

FAQs

Can You Have Better than 20/20 Vision? – ASCO? ›

Surprisingly, it is indeed possible to have vision that surpasses the 20/20 benchmark. Some individuals possess 20/15, 20/10, or even sharper vision, enabling them to discern details from further away than the average viewer.

Can you have better vision than 20/20? ›

Yes. Having 20/20 vision means you have normal or average, vision. Some people have vision that's better than 20/20, like 20/15 vision or 20/10 vision. This means that you can see something 20 feet away (like a line on an eye chart) that most people can see when they're 15 feet away (20/15) or 10 feet away (20/10).

Can LASIK make your vision better than 20/20? ›

Historical data from years of LASIK research shows that more than 90 percent of people who undergo LASIK obtain 20/20 vision or better. Yes, it's possible to get vision clearer than 20/20 after surgery.

Is there a 21/20 vision? ›

Many people, mostly children, have better than 20/20 vision. Healthy eyes can easily go down to the 20/15 level with some accuracy. So then, what is perfect? In truth, nothing that the human eye can achieve – and possibly nothing at all.

Is 20 15 vision a thing? ›

A person can have 20/15 vision, which is sharper than average. If you have 20/15 vision, you can see a line in the eye chart at 20 feet that the average person can only see when they are 15 feet away.

Is 20 40 vision a thing? ›

So, a measurement of 20/40 vision typically means an individual can only clearly see objects from 20 feet away that someone with healthy vision would be able to see from 40 feet away. Generally speaking, the larger the second number of the fraction is, the less clear your distance vision is.

Is 20 25 vision a thing? ›

What is 20/25 vision? So I'll try to help you understand 20/25 vision meaning. 20/25 vision simply means that what you (first number) can see at 20 feet, someone with average (good) vision can see at 25 feet. It's therefore slightly below the average, because the average person can see it a little farther away.

Does LASIK work 100%? ›

No surgical procedure is 100% effective. However, LASIK has one of the highest success and satisfaction rates of any elective procedure, with 96% of LASIK patients reporting high satisfaction after treatment. Effectiveness studies show that 70% to 90% of LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision or better after treatment.

Can surgery give you better than 20/20 vision? ›

Yes, it is. This is not so much a matter of how far you "push" the LASIK, though, it is about how well your eye has the potential to see. 20/20 is average good visual acuity, not perfect vision.

What is the best vision ever recorded? ›

20/10 vision is thought to be the maximum visual acuity of human eyes without binoculars or other magnifying devices.

Who has the best vision in the world? ›

Eagles are thought to have the best eyesight of all; their eyes are as many as eight times sharper than ours.

Is 2.5 eyesight bad? ›

A value up to 2.50 is considered moderate; anything above 2.50 may be considered severe. The third number (axis) reflects the orientation of your astigmatism. LASIK or PRK can treat the widest range of prescriptions from -14 through +6.

Is 4.5 eyesight bad? ›

So +1.00 and -1.00 are quite modest; your eyesight isn't too bad, as you only need 1 diopter of correction. On the other hand, +4.50 and -4.50 represent a greater lack of clarity; you'll need a stronger prescription, at 4.5 diopters of correction.

How bad is a 1.50 eye prescription? ›

This prescription is for the left eye, and -1.50 means that your nearsightedness is measured at 1 and 1/2 diopters. It's considered a mild amount of nearsightedness. SPH indicates the adjustment for spherical power, with a prismatic correction of 0.5 Base Up.

How long does LASIK last? ›

Over the last several decades, LASIK results have proven to be very stable. After the initial healing period of 3 to 6 months, your distance visual acuity should remain the same for the rest of your life (provided, of course, that you don't develop cataracts or some other age-related eye disease).

What vision is legally blind? ›

Visual acuity less than 20/200 is considered legally blind, but to actually fit the definition, the person must not be able to attain 20/200 vision even with prescription eyewear. Many people who would be legally blind without eyewear can function well in everyday life with appropriate glasses or contact lenses.

Can a human have 20 5 vision? ›

This type of visual acuity is akin to an eagle's vision. 20/10 vision is already very rare, and 20/5 is generally not realistic for humans. There have been reports of an Aborigine man who had 20/5 vision. Despite this, researchers believe this level of vision is not possible in humans.

Is 4 eyesight bad? ›

Before we jump into what each section of how to read an eye prescription means, as a general rule, the higher the numbers on your prescription, the worse your eyesight is and the stronger your prescription will be to provide the necessary correction. Mild: -0.50 to -3. Moderate: -3.25 to -5.00. High: -5.25 to -10.

Is 20 10 the best vision possible? ›

If you have 20/10 vision you are above average! You are better than the “normal” person and you have better than what is considered to be standard or normal, vision. If you have 20/10 vision, you can see at 20 feet, what a normal person can see at 10 feet from an eye chart. Want to test your vision RIGHT NOW?

What is the best human vision possible? ›

It seems that the best eyesight ever reported in a human was in an Aborigine man with 20/5 vision! To give you an idea of how clear and far he could see, his vision measurement compares to the natural sight of eagles. From 20 feet, he could perceive the fine details that most people can only see from 5 feet away!

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