In today’s world, no one has a reason to avoid an eye exam or at least a vision screening. Computers have become involved in every area of our lives and can make screening your vision a simple task. Several tests identifying vision issues are now available and are as easy as reading an eye chart from your computer monitor.

A person can also download all of the different eye charts needed to test several different forms of vision issues. The process is easy and only takes a few minutes for each test. An individual can receive a very good vision screening using computer generated eye charts. Testing your vision online can give you a good estimation of your vision acuity and can help identify early signs of certain types of eye diseases.

Most organizations recommend or suggest downloading and printing each chart and using the printed chart for the best results but a fair test of your vision is possible using the eye charts on the computer monitor. A person following the directions of each vision test, testing in the morning while eyes are fresh and making sure, the testing area is well lighted can obtain a very good vision screening from online exams.

Testing stressed or tired eyes would not produce an accurate screening of your vision. Eye doctors suggest testing the vision in the morning while eyes are fresh. A testing area, which is uncomfortable to the person or the eyes, will affect the test results. Changing the test directions or not following the directions of each exam exactly may produce faulty test results.

**Remember, a computer vision screening should never be used in place of visiting your eye doctor at least, once a year. Testing the pressure of the eye is not possible using a computer therefore; you need to see an eye doctor to have your eye pressure checked.

**Remember eye pressure test is the only method of identifying the eye disease called Glaucoma. Glaucoma is the leading cause of vision loss for people sixty-five years of age and older and second leading cause of blindness for the African American population.


What types of eye exams can an individual test using the computer?

1. Vision acuity – near and far sightedness
2. Color blindness
3. Retinal anomalies


Eye Charts available for download:

1. Jaeger chart used to test near vision acuity
2. Snellen chart used to identify the eyes vision acuity levels.
3. Amsler Grid used to test for retinal anomalies especially concerning the Macula of the eye.
4. Ishihara vision test used to identify color blindness.


An eye doctor has approximately twenty different vision exams available to check the level of health of your vision, which makes a visit to the doctor the best way to maintain healthy vision. **remember the online vision screenings should not be used in place of a yearly visit to the eye doctor.