visual acuity

American  

noun

Ophthalmology.

1. acuteness of the vision as determined by a comparison with the normal ability to define certain letters at a given distance, usually 20 feet (6 meters). V.

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Etymology

Origin of visual acuity

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

On average, participants' visual acuity improved by 5 lines; one improved by 12 lines.

From Science Daily • Oct. 22, 2025

Though some patients could make out patterns immediately, all patients' visual acuity improved over months of training.

From Science Daily • Oct. 22, 2025

Like the hugely successful early 20th century L.A. landscape painter Granville Redmond, who was also deaf, Castle is sometimes claimed to have compensated for his hearing loss through an increased power in visual acuity.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2023

Although his right eye was saved it was very badly damaged and it currently has only 10% visual acuity.

From BBC • Jul. 21, 2022

Even if they’re looking at the road, he’d found, their visual acuity was impaired by the cognitive demand of the phone.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel