Free eye check · 4 min · No sign-up
Free visual acuity check (online eye chart)
Check how sharp your distance vision is in each eye with a calibrated tumbling-E chart. Free, about four minutes, with an approximate 20/20-style score.
Loading the check…
A screening aid, not a diagnosis. Screens, lighting and distance affect results. If something looks wrong, or your vision changes suddenly, see an eye-care professional. Medical disclaimer
How this check works
Eye doctors measure sharpness of vision, or visual acuity, with letters that get smaller line by line. Each line is sized so that its letters fill a known angle at the eye. We use the tumbling E, the chart used for children and people who don’t read the Latin alphabet: you only say which way the E points.
First you match a box on screen to a bank card, which tells us how many pixels make a millimetre on your display. Then we draw each E at the exact size it would be on a chart at your chosen distance. You need two correct answers out of three to pass a line.
Getting a fair result
- Use a laptop or desktop screen at full brightness, in a well-lit room.
- Stand or sit at the distance you choose and keep it steady. Farther is more accurate.
- Wear your distance glasses or contacts, if you have them, to see how well corrected you are. Take them off to see your uncorrected vision.
- Cover one eye with your palm without pressing on it.
Reading your score
| Score | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| 20/16 to 20/20 | Typical healthy distance vision |
| 20/25 to 20/32 | Slightly reduced; a small prescription change is common |
| 20/40 to 20/63 | Reduced; below many driving standards without correction |
| 20/80 or worse | Clearly reduced; book an exam soon |
A difference of two or more lines between your eyes, or any sudden drop, is worth checking even if one eye reads 20/20. A sharp-vision score also says nothing about glaucoma or other diseases that start without symptoms, which is why adults still need regular dilated exams.
Questions people ask
What does 20/20 vision mean?
It means you can read at 20 feet what a person with typical vision can read at 20 feet. 20/40 means you need to be at 20 feet to read what a typical eye reads from 40 feet. In metric countries the same scale is written 6/6 and 6/12.
Is an online acuity check accurate?
With screen calibration and the right distance it gives a useful estimate, but screen quality, lighting and guessing all add error. It cannot measure your prescription or check eye health.
What vision do I need to drive?
Many US states and Canadian provinces require about 20/40 in the better eye, with or without glasses. Rules differ by place, so check with your licensing authority.