It’s important to have your eyes tested regularly by an optician. In the meantime, you can test your vision at home using one of our quick tests. Check yours now.
Most opticians use the Snellen chart to test your vision. They will ask you to read a chart with different sizes of letters to evaluate how accurately you can see from a distance.
The chart has lines of letters that start out large at the top, and end up small at the bottom. The 20/20 or 6/6 line is near the bottom of the chart. If you can read the 20/20 line, you have 20/20 or 6/6 vision.
What is 20/20 vision?
20/20 is average, or normal, vision. This is also referred to as 6/6 vision. The 20/20 designation simply means that you can see at 20 feet what the average person can see. Many people have vision better than 20/20.
Test your vision with the Snellen test
The Snellen test is so simple you can test your vision at home with the help of a friend. Just follow these 8 steps:
1 - Print the Snellen Test
2 - If you have contacts or glasses, wear them
3 - Hang the chart on a bare, windowless wall at eye level
4 - Stand or sit 10 feet or 3 metres from the wall
5 - Cover one eye
6 - Starting at the top, read each letter out loud
7 - Have your friend note the smallest line you can read correctly
8 - Test the other eye in the same manner
The Snellen Test Printout is in PDF format. You will need Adobe® Reader® to download your guide. To download Adobe® Reader® free of charge, click here.
What do your results mean?
If you can’t read the 20/20 line with both eyes, you may need vision correction. Whatever your result, it’s a good idea to get your eyes tested regularly by an optician.
Near vision testing measures your ability to read and see objects close up (within arm's distance of your body). This test is important if you have hyperopia or presbyopia.
Test your near vision at home
The near vision test is simple enough to try at home. Just follow these 6 steps:
1 - If you have contacts or glasses, wear them
2 - Sit about 14 inches or 35 cm away from your computer screen
3 - Open the Near Vision Test
4 - Keep both eyes open
5 - Jot down where the opening of the Cs are located (for example, left, right, up, down)
6 - If you did not get all the Cs correct, repeat the test on another day
What do your results mean?
If you didn’t get all of the Cs correct on two different days, you may need vision correction. Whatever your result, it’s a good idea to get your eyes tested regularly by an optician.
An astigmatism chart helps determine whether the curvature of your cornea or lens is normal. An abnormal curvature (usually more rugby ball-shaped than round) will sharply focus some portions of an image onto your retina, while blurring others.
Take the astigmatism test at home
The astigmatism test is simple enough to try at home. Just follow these 5 steps:
1 - If you have contacts or glasses, wear them
2 - Sit about 14 inches or 35 cm away from your computer screen
3 - Cover one eye
4 - Note how the lines and squares appear (for example, wavy or blurred)
5 - Test the other eye in the same manner
What do your results mean?
To a normal eye, the lines will appear sharply focused and equally dark. If some sets of lines appear sharply focused and dark while others are blurred and less dark, you may have astigmatism. Whatever your result, it’s a good idea to get your eyes tested regularly by an optician.
