Fig. 4. Visual acuity changes with age. The chart demonstrates that it is a mistake to consider 20/20 as “average,” “normal,” or “perfect” vision. The gray band indicates standard vision (20/20, 1.0). Average adult visual acuity is significantly better and does not drop to 20/20 until after age 60. The triangles represent a study12 using prototypes of Snellen's test letters, published in 1862. The circles represent a recent meta-analysis of healthy eyes from several different studies.13 The squares represent recent find-ings from an elderly population (including eyes with age-related changes).5 The M and F markers represent data from male and female Australian Aborigines,14 which were found to have statistically significant better acuity than comparable caucasians. The 1862 findings are remarkably similar to the recent data for healthy adults in the younger age groups and to those for unselected seniors in the older groups.