Perfect Vision: What It Means and How to Maintain It

What Does Perfect Vision Mean?

Perfect vision is a colloquial term, not a scientific term, that refers to a person’s ability to see well. Perfect vision may refer to 20/20 vision which is a term used to describe vision that is the average, or normal rate of visual acuity. Visual acuity refers to how sharp and clear a person’s vision is. If a person has recorded a score of 20/20, or 6/6 on a visual acuity test, they are considered to have normal visual acuity. If a person measures 20/15, they are considered to have above-normal visual acuity. Perfect vision can also include or be measured by the quality of other aspects of vision such as colour vision, peripheral vision and depth perception. The answer to what is perfect vision is complex, as it is not a scientific term, but a colloquial term that can refer to normal or above normal levels of visual acuity.

What are the Common Causes of Vision Problems?

The common causes of vision problems include glaucoma, cataracts, amblyopia, macular degeneration and refractive errors. There are many reasons why a person may have vision problems, with some of the most common being eye diseases, conditions or refractive errors. These conditions may cause symptoms that affect how well a person can see or how good their vision is. There are also serious conditions that can cause vision problems such as eye herpes or HSK, so it is important that you see an optometrist or health care professional as soon as possible if you are having vision problems. The common causes of vision problems are listed below.

• Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that affect the optic nerve and can lead to vision issues such as blurriness, glare, or issues with contrast.
• Cataracts: Cataracts are a type of eye condition in which proteins gather on the lens of the eye leading to issues with how clear vision is.
• Amblyopia: Amblyopia is an eye condition in which one or both eyes have weaker vision, or become 'lazy'. This can be related to vision problems such as near or farsightedness or crossed eyes (Strabismus).
• Macular Degeneration: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition that affects central vision and may lead to vision issues such as central vision loss and trouble seeing faces clearly.
• Refractive Errors: Refractive errors refer to vision problems caused when light does not hit the retina properly, potentially leading to issues with near and farsightedness.

5. Refractive Errors

Refractive errors can refer to several issues in which light does not hit the retina properly, which can lead to vision problems such as near and farsightedness. When light enters the eye, it is refracted on the retina, where cells called photoreceptors translate the light into electrical signals to send to the optic nerve and onto the brain, according to the National Eye Institute. If there are issues with the structures and shape of the eye, the light may not be refracted onto the retina properly. If light focuses before the retina, it may lead to nearsightedness or myopia and symptoms such as blurry distance vision. Hyperopia is the opposite in which light refracts behind the retina, leading to issues with near vision.

Can Certain Medical Conditions or Medications Impact Perfect Vision?

There are certain medical conditions and medications that may impact how a person's vision works. According to the Cleveland Clinic, medications such as corticosteroids, antimalarials and antihistamines may have side effects on the eye that impact the quality of vision. It is important to check with your healthcare provider before starting any medication and seek immediate medical attention if you are having vision issues after starting medication.

There are some medical conditions such as diabetes that may impact the quality of vision. Diabetes is a chronic medical condition in which the body has trouble with glucose levels. Diabetes may have an impact on vision as it can lead to blurry vision and varying levels of visual strength, according to Diabetes Australia. Diabetes can also lead to a condition called diabetic retinopathy, which can cause vision loss. For information on what medical conditions or medications impact vision, it is important to seek professional medical help.

Can Blue Light Exposure Affect Perfect Vision?

Blue light exposure, from the sun and digital devices, may affect vision, or perfect vision to a degree. Blue light refers to a type of HEV light that is visible to the human eye. Blue light from the sun is the biggest source of blue light and may affect the eyes after prolonged exposure. Blue light from the sun may lead to an increased risk of eye diseases or conditions that may have an effect on vision. It has not been scientifically confirmed that blue light from digital devices is harmful to the eyes or may affect vision. However, there are some studies that posit that prolonged blue light exposure from digital devices can cause eye fatigue, eye strain, headaches and impact sleep quality.

What are the Different Ways to Maintain the Perfect Vision?

There are several different ways that a person can help to keep their eyes healthy, which may in turn help maintain vision quality. The ways to keep your eyes healthy and maintain vision quality include getting a regular eye test, wearing your shades, keeping a balanced and healthy diet, wearing your glasses, and limiting screen time. The ways to maintain perfect or good vision are listed below.

• Get a regular eye test: A regular eye test allows your optometrist to track any changes in your eye and give treatment for vision issues if needed. Getting a regular eye test will help keep the eyes healthy and allow an optometrist to help maintain your vision.
• Wear your shades: Wearing your sunglasses when outside helps to protect your eyes from UV rays, as prolonged exposure to UV rays has been linked to eye conditions such as cataracts, which may affect vision quality.
• Keep a balanced and healthy diet: It is important to keep a healthy and balanced diet to help protect the structures of the eye and give your body the fuel it needs. A healthy and balanced diet can help keep the eye healthy and prevent eye diseases or conditions that may affect vision.
• Wear your glasses: It is important to wear your optical or prescription glasses to give your eyes the vision assistance they need.
• Limit screen time: Screen time has been connected to issues such as eye strain, eye fatigue, and disruptions to sleeping patterns, so it is a good idea to limit screen time and take breaks which may help with the quality of your vision.

Are there Eye Exercises that can Help Prevent Vision Deterioration?

No, eye exercises cannot help prevent vision deterioration as they are used to potentially help relieve eye strain and strengthen the muscles in the eyes. Common eye exercises include palming, figure eight, blinking, pencil push-ups, focus change and the 20-20-20 rule. While eye exercises won’t help prevent vision deterioration, other ways include maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, limiting screen time and booking regular eye tests.

Can Perfect Vision be Achieved through Eye Exercises?

No, perfect vision or 20/20 vision cannot be achieved through eye exercises. For those who don’t have 20/20 vision, it can only be achieved using corrective devices such as prescription glasses or laser eye surgery. Eye exercises are a combination of movements and activities that people can perform to potentially reduce eye strain or possibly strengthen the eye muscles. Eye exercises cannot improve a person’s vision and should not be performed in place of proper eye care from an optometrist.

Can Perfect Vision be Improved with Prescription Glasses?

Those who have perfect or good vision, in this case, 20/20 vision, will not usually need prescription glasses to improve their vision. 20/20 vision or 6/6 vision, is used as a benchmark for average or normal visual acuity, with these people being able to see a letter chart clearly at 20 feet away. This means that they will not often need the type of vision correction that prescription glasses provide unless they have other visual issues such as astigmatism.

Can Perfect Vision be Improved through Eye Surgery?

A person with perfect vision, also referred to as 20/20 vision, will most likely not need eye surgery as the sharpness and clarity of their vision are at a normal level. A person with 20/20 vision may undergo eye surgery if they also have the refractive error astigmatism which is the irregular curvature of the eye that causes blurry vision and other eye issues. Eye surgery is used to treat astigmatism by reshaping the lens or cornea inside the eye which corrects the refraction error.