What does 20/20 vision mean?
It means you can see at twenty feet what a person with standard vision can see at twenty feet. It is a comparison against a reference, not a perfect score, and it says nothing about how well your eyes work together, your peripheral vision or the health of the eye.
- Subject
- Surgery journey
- Topic
- Eye tests & scans
- Kind of question
- What is…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
A common misunderstanding is that 20/20 means nothing is wrong. People with early glaucoma, diabetic changes or a retinal problem often read the chart normally, which is exactly why the examination is more than the chart.
What this answer depends on
- Whether the chart was read with one eye or both
- Whether contrast sensitivity was also measured
- Whether the reading was with or without your glasses
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under The surgery journey in Eye tests & scans . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
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This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026
- Eye Health Information
Condition-by-condition eye health information from a US government research institute, written for patients rather than for clinicians.
Used for Plain-language explanations of eye conditions and their symptoms; Healthy vision and screening guidance.
Link checked 23 September 2026