Is 20/70 Vision Bad? An In-Depth Look

Hey there! As a tech geek and data analyst who loves gaming and streaming, I‘ve done a deep dive into what exactly 20/70 vision means. Losing your sharp vision can be scary, so I wanted to provide a comprehensive guide to help you understand 20/70 eyesight.

What is 20/20 Vision?

First, let‘s quickly cover normal vision. 20/20 is considered average visual acuity. This means you can clearly see an object from 20 feet away that most people can also see from 20 feet. 20/20 does not necessarily mean perfect vision, but it does mean you have sharp, clear eyesight.

To give you an idea, here are some other common visual acuity levels:

• 20/15 – Better than average vision
• 20/40 – A small reduction in visual clarity
• 20/200 – The threshold for legal blindness

So where does 20/70 fall on this visual acuity scale? Let‘s take a closer look.

What Does 20/70 Vision Mean?

When you have 20/70 vision, it means you can see at 20 feet what someone with normal 20/20 vision can see from 70 feet away.

Another way to think of it is that you can only see from 20 feet what you should be able to see from 70 feet if you had textbook 20/20 eyesight.

According to the American Optometric Association, 20/70 vision falls into the moderate visual impairment or moderate low vision category. Here is how they categorize different visual acuity levels:

• Mild vision loss: 20/30 to 20/60
• Moderate visual impairment: 20/70 to 20/160
• Severe visual impairment: 20/200 or worse

So while 20/70 vision is still much better than being legally blind, it is considered worse than average vision. Day-to-day tasks will require some visual adaptation.

What‘s Your Visual Experience with 20/70 Vision?

With 20/70 vision, the world will look blurrier to you compared to someone with sharp 20/20 eyesight. Fine details will be harder to see clearly from a distance.

For example, you‘ll likely have trouble with things like:

• Reading street signs from far away
• Making out people‘s faces across a room
• Seeing small text clearly on screens or paper
• Driving at night

Your vision will get fuzzy much faster than normal as objects get further away. Still, you can generally function pretty well for everyday activities like looking at your phone, reading, walking around, cooking, etc. It‘s just the further and finer details that get more challenging.

I like to think of it as turning down the resolution on your vision. Things look okay up close, but get grainier at a distance.

To give you a sense of what 20/70 vision might look like compared to normal vision, here is an illustration:

Source: Ravi at Premise Health

As you can see, the 20/70 example is blurrier overall, with details getting lost at a distance. Signs are hard to read far away. So while you can get by fine up close, your distance vision will require more effort.

What Are the Causes of 20/70 Vision?

There are a number of eye conditions that can cause reduced visual acuity like 20/70 vision. Some of the most common include:

• Nearsightedness (myopia): Your eye is longer than normal, causing light to focus incorrectly and distant objects to appear blurry. This is often corrected with concave lenses.

• Farsightedness (hyperopia): Your eye is shorter than normal, causing problems focusing on near objects and eye strain. This is often corrected with convex lenses.

• Astigmatism: Your cornea or lens is more football-shaped than spherical, causing distorted vision. This is corrected with cylindrical lenses.

• Presbyopia: As you age, your lenses lose flexibility, making it hard to focus up close. Convex lenses help correct this.

• Cataracts: Clouding in the lens causes blurred and hazy vision. Surgery to remove the lens is often needed.

• Macular degeneration: Damage to the retina creates blind spots and vision loss. There is no cure, but some treatments can help slow progression.

So in many cases, 20/70 vision can be improved with prescription eyeglasses or contacts. But certain eye conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration may cause permanent vision loss that cannot be fully corrected.

Can You Drive with 20/70 Vision?

This is a common question, since driving relies heavily on good visual acuity. The answer is in most cases, yes, you can drive with 20/70 vision. However, there may be some restrictions.

Requirements vary slightly by state, but in general you need:

• At least 20/40 vision in one eye with correction
• 20/70 vision or better in the other eye

So with glasses or contacts to bring your better eye to 20/40, you should meet the minimum vision acuity for driving.

However, your license may note that you have to wear corrective lenses when operating a vehicle. Driving at night with 20/70 vision can also be more challenging, so some people choose to limit their driving to daytime hours.

Overall though, 20/70 vision with correction should not completely prohibit you from driving if your eye doctor deems it safe. Just be extra alert on the roads, especially in low light conditions.

Is 20/70 Vision Legally Blind?

What about legal blindness – does 20/70 vision qualify? The short answer is no. Here are the criteria for legal blindness:

• Visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in your better eye
• Visual field of less than 20 degrees

So while 20/70 vision is considered visually impaired, it is not severe enough to be classified as legally blind. At this level, you do not qualify for the benefits and resources available to those who are legally blind.

Legal blindness generally occurs at 20/200 visual acuity or worse. But keep in mind that the 20/20 scale is logarithmic, not linear. The visual difference between each line is greater than it appears.

For example, here is how some common visual acuities compare on the logarithmic scale:

So while 20/70 may seem close to 20/200, there is actually a significant difference in visual impairment between them. 20/70 is moderately impaired while 20/200 is severely impaired.

Tips for Living with 20/70 Vision

Living with less than perfect vision may require some lifestyle adaptations. Here are some tips for making the most of your 20/70 eyesight:

• Use large font sizes when possible (phones, computers, etc).
• Try audiobooks if reading regular print is tiring.
• Install good lighting at home and work to reduce eyestrain.
• Sit in the front row at events to see clearly.
• Tell friends you may miss facial expressions from a distance.
• Use binoculars or monoculars to see farther away.
• Carry a small telescope to read signs down the street.
• Keep important numbers stored in your phone.
• Use voice assistants like Siri for hands-free help.
• Have your eye doctor maximize your prescription lenses.
• Be extra alert when driving, especially at night.

While 20/70 vision may be an adjustment, many people are able to adapt and live active, independent lives. See your ophthalmologist regularly to get the strongest correction possible for your eyes. And don‘t be afraid to ask for help or use vision aids when needed.

The Bottom Line

I know first-hand that changes in your vision can be unsettling. But knowledge is power. Understanding what 20/70 vision really means will help you know what to expect and how to adapt.

The key points to remember are:

• 20/70 vision means you can see at 20 feet what someone with normal vision sees from 70 feet away.

• It falls into the moderately visually impaired/low vision category.

• You can function well for close tasks, but distance vision will be blurrier.

• 20/70 vision alone does not qualify as legal blindness.

• With some reasonable adaptations, most people with 20/70 vision can continue living active lives.

I hope this in-depth guide gives you a better idea of what to expect with 20/70 eyesight. Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to chat more about vision and ways to make the most of your sight.