FAQs

Can babies see?
From birth to four weeks, babies can see high contrast objects, but struggle to see low contract objects. Their eye co-ordination is also poor and it has been estimated that their visual acuity ranges from 6/120 to 6/240.

Do VDTs affect your eyesight?

Video display terminals do not cause permanent ocular damage, but the use of these terminals, often combined with a change in routine, may be associated with ocular and general musculosketetal discomfort. These can be alleviated by having the worker's reading glasses checked for proper working distance; by paying adequate attention to ergonomic factors, such as having seating and the angle of the VDT adjustable to each worker's comfort needs; by adjusting the lighting to minimise glare; by using high-quality monitors whose contrast and brightness can be controlled by the operator; by keeping the VDT screen clear of dust and by making provision for periodic rest breaks.

How do I protect my eyes?

Image of children wearing sunglassesVision 2020 Australia recommend that you:
• Wear sunglasses and sunhats whenever you are in the sun.
• Quit smoking.
• Wear eye protection at home and at work.

How much does it cost to have an eye test?
In Queensland the majority of eye tests carried out by optometrists are bulk-billed through Medicare, and the Queensland Government fund a FREE spectacles supply scheme for those unable to afford them.

How often should I have my eyes tested?

The following eye health tips have been compiled by Vision 2020 Australia, who recommend that you:

Have your eyes tested regularly if you are over 40, and see your eye health professional immediately if you notice a change in your vision.

Also have your eyes tested every two years if you:
• Have diabetes.
• Have a family history of glaucoma
• You are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.

Release of prescriptions

Optometrists should not release a patient’s spectacle prescription to a third party without the written consent of the patient.

Should I put off wearing spectacles for as long as I can?
Spectacles are used to correct blurred vision from refractive error or reading glasses for presbyopia - clear vision is preferable to uncorrected vision.

What are the implications of 6/6, 6/12, 6/36, 6/60 vision?

Visual acuity is measured as two numbers (see FAQ: What is visual acuity?). The top number represents the distance a person needs to stand from a vision chart. The bottom number represents the distance an individual with normal vision can stand from the chart, and still read the letters in that row.

• 6/6 represents normal vision
• 6/12 represents reduced vision, this is the legal driving limit.
• 6/18 represents low vision - according to the World Health Organisation
• 6/36 represents significant low vision – an individual with equal or less than 6/36 vision is eligible for the Multi Purpose Taxi Program concession
• Less than 6/60 vision is the classification for legal blindness and individuals with less than 6/60 vision are eligible for various other entitlements.

What are the most common eye conditions?
In Australia, the five most common eye conditions are:
• Under corrected or un-corrected refractive error.
• Diabetic retinopathy.
• Macular Degeneration.
• Glaucoma.
• Cataract.

What is legal blindness?

Legal blindness is diagnosed by an ophthalmologist and takes into account an individual’s visual acuity and peripheral vision.
A person is considered to be legally blind when:
• Visual acuity is less than 6/60 in the better eye (with correction with glasses or contact lenses).
• A visual field of less than five degrees from fixation (10 degrees of arc) in the better eye. This means when a person looks ahead, a 180 degree arc is taken to represent the normal field of vision. Loss of 90-95% of this visual field is considered a definition of legal blindness.
• A combination of the visual acuity and peripheral field losses described above, leading to an equivalent vision loss.

A person with no vision is considered to be totally blind.

What is low vision?

Low vision can be defined in a number of different ways:
• Vision that is not correctable by glasses, contact lenses or surgery
• When a person has difficulty completing their daily activities
• Loss of functional vision
• A visual acuity of less than or equal to 6/18 (World Health Organisation)

People who are classified as legally blind are included in this category. Most people who have low vision do have some residual and usable vision.

What is monocular vision?

Monocular vision is when an individual has sight in only one eye. This will affect a person’s depth perception, which relies on the use of two images from both eyes to calculate the distance of an object.

A person can have normal vision in one eye (i.e. a visual acuity of 6/6). People with monocular vision do not necessarily have low vision - unless the visual acuity in the one eye is less than 6/18.

What is refractive error?
In refractive error the image of the object a person is looking at is not focussed properly onto the retina (the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye).

What is the cause of colour blindness?

Colour blindness is mostly inherited and it affects almost I in 12 males, and approximately 1 in 250 females. For some people with colour blindness the colours are confused, for others the colours are very faint. There are tests for colour blindness, but there are no treatments that can correct this condition.

What is visual acuity?

Image of a Snellen chartVisual acuity (VA) is a measure of a person’s ability to see clearly. It is measured using a visual acuity chart. The chart can be used to determine the smallest size print that a person can read at distance or close up.

The most frequently used chart is the Snellen chart (see image). It has random capital letters organised in rows of diminishing size. Against each row there are two numbers.

The top number denotes the distance an individual needs to stand from the chart – this should be 6 metres. The bottom number represents the distance an individual with normal vision can stand from the chart, and still read the letters in that row.

For example 6/6 is normal vision; an individual with a VA less than 6/60 is classified as legally blind.