What Is?

My Visual Acuity? Check your vision at home with these printable charts.

What You Need to Test Your Vision at Home

Prepare the Test Area
Testing a Child (Age 3 or Older)
Explain to your child that you are going to play a “pointing game.” Using the practice E card, show him or her how to point in the same direction that the E is “pointing.” Turn the practice E in the four different directions (up, down, right, left). You may hold the practice card as close as the child wants until he or she can point in the four directions without help. Testing an Adult or Older Child What Are Normal Scores for Home Eye Testing? Something to cover the eye, like a paper cup or facial tissue.
Scissors.
Tape or tack to hang the test chart on the wall.
A pencil or pen to record the results.
A yardstick, tape measure, or ruler.
A flashlight, if available.
A well-lighted room at least 10 feet long.
The correct testing chart.
Select either the child’s or adult’s test chart and print it out.
When printed, the largest letter at the top of the chart should be just under an inch (23
millimeters) tall.
Measure 10 feet from a wall with no windows, and place a chair at this point.
Tape or pin the chart on the bare wall, level with the eyes of the person you will test as he or she sits in
the chair.
Have your child sit in the chair 10 feet from the chart, holding the cover over one eye without applying
any pressure. Do not let the child peek. A second person may be needed to hold the cover in place
and watch for peeking. If your child wears glasses, he or she should wear them during the test.
If the chart seems too dark to see clearly, use the flashlight to illuminate the test letters.
Point at each of the Es, starting with the largest. Have your child point in the direction the E is pointing.
Write down the number of the smallest line your child can correctly see.
Then repeat the test with the other eye covered. If your child is tired, you may wish to test the other eye
at a different time.
Have the person being tested sit in the chair, 10 feet from the chart. Make sure the chart is level with
his or her eyes.
Have the person being tested cover one eye. If he or she uses eyeglasses for distance vision, the

glasses should be worn during the test.
Shine the flashlight on each line of the chart, while the person you are testing reads the letters out
loud. Continue to the bottom row or until the letters are too difficult for the person to see.
Write down the number of the smallest line seen correctly (the line with the majority of the letters
correctly identified).
Now repeat the test with the other eye covered and record the results.
A child should be able to see the 20/40 line by age 3 or 4 and the 20/30 line by age 5. If you test your child
several times on different days and your child cannot see the expected line of print or cannot see the same
line with each eye, he or she may have an eye problem. You should have your child evaluated by a
physician.
An older child or adult should be reading the 20/20 line. You should arrange for a medical eye examination
by an ophthalmologist if there are abnormal results.
Home Vision Test Results
Record the results of your home screening by filling in the number of the smallest line the person could read
for each line below. If the test results indicate that you or your child needs to see an ophthalmologist, take the
numbers you wrote down with you.
right eye left eye
Home Visual Acuity Screening 20/_ 20/_