New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Eye examination

An eye examination is a battery of tests performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist assessing vision and ability to focus on and discern objects, as well as other tests and examinations pertaining to the eyes. All people should have periodic and thorough eye examinations as part of routine care by the primary care physician, especially since many eye diseases are silent or asymptomatic.

Eye examinations may detect potentially treatable blinding eye diseases, ocular manifestations of systemic disease, or signs of tumours or other anomalies of the brain. Visual acuity is the eye's ability to detect fine details and is the quantitative measure of the eye's ability to see an in-focus image at a certain distance. The standard definition of normal visual acuity (20/20 or 6/6 vision) is the ability to resolve a spatial pattern separated by a visual angle of one minute of arc. The terms 20/20 and 6/6 are derived from standardized sized objects that can be seen by a "person of normal vision" at the specified distance. For example, if one can see the normal object that can usually be seen at 20 ft at a distance of 20 ft, then you have 20/20. If one can see at 20 ft what a normal person can see at 40 ft, then the vision is 20/40. Similarly, if one can see at 20 ft an object size that normally can be seen at 200 ft, then the vision is 20/200.

Related Stories
 


Health & Medicine News

November 6, 2025

A newly identified disorder, MINA syndrome, results from a mutation in the NAMPT protein that deprives motor neurons of energy, leading to severe movement problems. The discovery not only deepens understanding of nerve cell metabolism but also ...
Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide 25 mg achieved up to 16.6% weight loss in a landmark study, rivaling injectable Wegovy. The pill also improved cardiovascular risk factors and physical activity levels. With a safety profile consistent with existing ...
Weill Cornell researchers uncovered how free radicals from astrocyte mitochondria can fuel dementia. Using new compounds that target these radicals at their source, they slowed brain inflammation and neuronal damage in mice. The findings reveal a ...
Researchers have created a bioinspired gel that can regenerate tooth enamel by mimicking natural growth processes. The fluoride-free material forms a mineral-rich layer that restores enamel’s strength and structure while preventing decay. It can ...
A Northwestern team transformed a common chemotherapy drug into a powerful, targeted cancer therapy using spherical nucleic acids. The redesign dramatically boosted drug absorption and cancer-killing power while avoiding side effects. This ...
Virginia Tech researchers have shown that memory loss in aging may be reversible. Using CRISPR tools, they corrected molecular disruptions in the hippocampus and amygdala, restoring memory in older rats. Another experiment revived a silenced memory ...
Meditation is widely praised for its mental health benefits, but new research shows that it can also produce unexpected side effects for some people—from anxiety and dissociation to functional impairment. Psychologist Nicholas Van Dam and his team ...
Most U.S. adults don’t realize alcohol raises cancer risk, and drinkers themselves are the least aware. Scientists say targeting these misbeliefs could significantly reduce alcohol-related cancer ...
Researchers discovered how rabies virus exerts massive control over host cells with very few genes. A key viral protein changes shape and binds RNA, allowing it to infiltrate different cellular systems. This adaptability could explain the power of ...
Cockroach infestations don’t just bring creepy crawlers, they fill homes with allergens and bacterial toxins that can trigger asthma and allergies. NC State researchers found that larger infestations meant higher toxin levels, especially from ...
Researchers have, for the first time, estimated how quickly E. coli bacteria can spread between people — and one strain moves as fast as swine flu. Using genomic data from the UK and Norway, scientists modeled bacterial transmission rates and ...
Scientists at Mizzou have identified two small molecules, agmatine and thiamine, that could both reveal and fight glaucoma. Their research shows these compounds are lower in glaucoma patients, suggesting they may serve as early warning markers. Even ...

Latest Headlines

updated 12:56 pm ET