FlipFact of the Day: Contrary to how we normally think about the term “20/20 vision,” it doesn’t actually refer to having perfect vision. What it actually pertains to is something else.
When talking about eyesight, “20/20” is actually a fraction that indicates visual acuity. It simply means that you can clearly see the letters on the “normal” line on the Snellen chart (the chart full of letters of varying sizes in eye clinics) when you’re standing 20 feet away from it.
In fact, it’s possible to have sharper than 20/20 vision. Basically, if you can read the tiny letters at the bottom of most Snellen charts, you have 20/10 visual acuity (meaning your eyesight is twice as sharp as a “normal” person’s).
Today’s Science History Milestone: On July 20, 1822, Austrian scientist Gregor Mendel, known to many as the founder of modern genetics, was born.
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References
- https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/2020-vision.htm
Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco
Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.
