What is a visual acuity test?

A visual acuity test measures the sharpness or clarity of vision, which is most commonly assessed using an eye chart, such as a Snellen chart. The test evaluates how well a person can see at various distances, providing a quantitative measure of vision in terms of a fraction (e.g., 20/20 vision). In this context, the use of an eye chart allows the examiner to determine the smallest letters a patient can read from a specific distance, thereby assessing visual acuity effectively.

The other options pertain to different aspects of vision testing. For example, assessing color blindness specifically targets the ability to perceive colors, eye disease examinations focus on identifying potential health issues, and depth perception assessments evaluate the ability to perceive distances between objects. Each of these tests serves a distinct purpose in the wider field of vision assessment, but they do not measure the sharpness of vision, which is the primary focus of a visual acuity test.