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How Rare is 20/15 Visionand Can You Achieve It?

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You’ve probably heard people with 20/20 vision claim they have perfect eyesight. Even though 20/20 vision is pretty good, did you know it’s possible to have eyesight better than 20/20? Anyone with 20/15 vision has that enviable distinction.

You may wonder how rare 20/15 vision is. A Cleveland Clinic article mentions one estimate that around 35 percent of the population has 20/20 vision without any form of corrective lenses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, about 30% of people have 20/15 vision or better. Now let’s take a look at how 20/15 vision is identified and what it means.

What Does 20/15 Vision Mean?

Have you been to an eye doctor appointment recently? If so, you likely remember that chart with the giant E and the letters underneath that get smaller and smaller. This is called a Snellen eye chart, the most common way for eye doctors to determine a baseline vision score. Many offices use variations of the paper Snellen chart, such as projected charts or digital versions.

During the test, the doctor asks you to say the letters on the different lines of the chart aloud. A Snellen chart is designed to be read from 20 feet away, and the more lines you can read, the better your vision is. For example, if you can read from 20 feet the same number of lines as most people, you are deemed to have 20/20 vision.

Those with 20/15 vision can read lines from 20 feet away that most people would have to be 15 feet from the sign to see clearly. In basic vision scores, the first number is always 20 (the distance from the Snellen chart), and the second number indicates how good the individual’s vision is compared to normal.

To check these abilities in your eyes, you need an appointment with an eye doctor who’ll test them.

Is 20/15 Vision Better than 20/20 Vision?

Yes. Though many people think 20/20 vision is the best, this is what eye care professionals consider “normal vision”. All corrective eyewear and surgeries aim to get people’s vision to 20/20.

So, is 20/15 vision good? Absolutely! 20/15 is better than 20/20 because you can see things that are farther away more clearly than the average person.

Does 20/15 Vision Mean Your Eyes Are at their Best?

Even if you score 20/15 on a vision test, your vision may still not be the best it could be because the Snellen test doesn’t take other eyesight factors into consideration, such as:

  • Peripheral awareness
  • Color vision
  • Focusing ability
  • Motion tracking
  • Visual acuity
  • Depth perception
  • Eye coordination

Is Any Vision Better than 20/15?

Although 20/15 is fantastic, some people can see with 20/10 vision. This is considered the best vision a person can have, but it’s far rarer than 20/15 vision.

Does Having 20/15 Vision Mean Eyes Are Healthy?

While having 20/15 vision means your eyes are powerful and better than most people’s at seeing details with clarity, this doesn't necessarily mean your eyes are optimally healthy.

Eye health doesn’t depend only on whether one can see well; it depends on many factors, including these:

  • Diet
  • Eye exam frequency
  • Use of protective eyewear while working with dangerous equipment
  • How much time you spend viewing computer screens and TV
  • Whether you are regularly exposed to harmful irritants like cigarette smoke or dust particles
  • How much daily rest you give your eyes

Even with exceptional vision, there’s still a risk for eye disease and cataracts. To determine eye health issues, you should schedule an eye exam every year and meet with professionals who can evaluate your eye health.

20/15 Vision and Age

No matter how good your vision is, eyesight can worsen with age. Common age-related vision problems include the following:

  • Difficulty focusing on nearby objects
  • The need for increased lighting to see clearly
  • Difficulty distinguishing between similar colors

You may be lucky enough to have 20/15 vision, but your vision is likely to change with age. Regular eye appointments help catch issues when they begin so you can get corrective eyewear.

Can I Do Anything to Get 20/15 Vision?

If you don't have 20/15 vision naturally, there’s no real reason to aspire to it. Although it sounds cool to say you have “better than perfect” vision, the reality is that 20/20 vision is sufficient for most people.

That said, if your eye doctor determines that you need to obtain 20/15 vision, there are ways to potentially achieve it.

LASIK Surgery

Can LASIK give you 20/15 vision? Possibly. LASIK surgery is meant to improve eyesight and may remove the need for people to use glasses or contact lenses to see clearly.

During a LASIK procedure, an eye surgeon cuts a flap in the cornea. When the flap is open, they use a laser to reshape the cornea. Then, the flap is laid back into place. After a few days, vision should improve, eliminating the need for corrective eyewear.

Usually, LASIK surgery aims to give 20/20 vision. It could give you 20/15 vision, depending on the eye surgeon and their techniques.

Though getting 20/15 vision through LASIK surgery is possible, eye doctors rarely recommend it. Obtaining this vision score through surgery could lead to eyestrain and headaches, not to mention the risk of surgery.

Eyewear

Contact lenses and glasses tailored to fit an exact eye prescription might get you to 20/15 vision. However, most eye doctors try to achieve 20/20, not 20/15.

Jobs for which 20/15 Vision Is an Advantage

There aren’t many jobs that require 20/15 vision, but there are professions in which 20/15 vision may give you an advantage. Any job that requires attention to detail and keen visual acuity is suited for a person with the best vision possible.

Some of these occupations include:

Of course, people without 20/15 vision can still do these jobs well.

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Choose Visionworks for Your Eyecare Needs

Keeping your eyes healthy is the best way to maintain or even improve your vision score. Being proactive is key! Having a yearly eye exam ensures your eyes function as they should and identifies issues or diseases for which early treatment is crucial.

If you want to determine whether you have 20/15 vision or it’s simply time for your annual eye exam, schedule an appointment at your local Visionworks today!

Information received through Visionworks® content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Claims regarding blue light efficiency are supported by manufacturer-provided test results.