Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Snellen chart

Snellen chart

6.8
A chart with rows of letters that get smaller to test how well you can see
  • noun
  • /ˈsnɛlən tʃɑrt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tabla de Snellen
  • After comparing my results on the Snellen chart, the doctor confirmed I have 20/20 vision.

Examples

  • For participation in sports, individuals with visual impairments are classified into one of three categories (B1, B2, or B3) on the basis of a Snellen chart measure of visual acuity and an assessment of field of vision.

    Academic text (2009)

  • During the vision test, the nurse asked me to read the smallest letters on the Snellen chart.

  • In writing this essay, I tried to find a table that would translate diopters into the more commonly understood terms of the Snellen chart: e.g., 20/20, 20/40.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The doctor used a Snellen chart to check my eyesight during the eye exam.

Synonyms

eye chart
vsSnellen chart
  • Specialized
2 3.4

A chart with letters in different sizes to check how clearly you can see

is the specific format with rows of decreasing letters to measure visual sharpness

Surface Forms

Snellen chart singular
Snellen charts plural

Morphology

Snellen + chart

Opaque: 'Snellen' is a proper name with no lexical meaning a B1 learner can use, and 'chart' only signals a visual display. The specific purpose (rows of letters to measure visual acuity) is technical and cannot be derived from the constituents, so learners who know the words would not reliably infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Snellen chart is named after an eye doctor called Dr. Snellen, who made a chart with rows of letters that get smaller and smaller so he could see how far a person could read. Today doctors use the Snellen chart to 'measure how well you see', so the name means the chart used to test eyesight.