Snellen test

6.3

A chart of letters that checks how small print you can read from a distance

noun
/ˈsnɛlən tɛst/

Specialized

: prueba de Snellen

Her poor performance on the Snellen test indicated a need for corrective lenses.

Examples

The optometrist performed a Snellen test to assess the patient's eyesight.
Before getting my driver's license, I had to pass the Snellen test to prove my vision was adequate.
Every year, students undergo a basic vision screening that includes the Snellen test.
The doctor performed a Snellen test to check my vision.
Have you ever taken a Snellen test?
During the eye examination, the optometrist used a Snellen test to measure how well I could read the letters on the chart.
At the clinic, patients line up for their annual Snellen test to ensure their vision is still clear.

Surface Forms

Snellen test singular

Snellen tests plural

Morphology

Snellen + test

The word 'test' makes it clear to a B1 learner that this is some kind of examination, but 'Snellen' is a proper name with no lexical meaning that would indicate visual acuity or a letter chart. Learners can infer it is a specific kind of test but cannot derive the precise meaning (a vision/acuity chart), so the transparency is partial.

Etymology

Snellen test is named after a Dutch eye doctor, Herman Snellen, who made a chart of big to small letters for people to read from a set distance. By seeing which small line a person can read, the test shows 'how well you can see'.