During a vision test, how far should the patient typically read from the sheet to assess acuity?

The typical distance for a patient to read from the vision test sheet to assess acuity is 20 feet or approximately 6 meters, although the test can also be adapted for closer reading distances, particularly during a peering assessment of near vision. In the context of near vision tests, the standard distance used is usually around 14 inches, which is considered optimal for assessing how well a person can see up close.

This distance allows for a clear evaluation of the patient's ability to read text, as it closely simulates the conditions under which most people read. It is important for the distance of the test to be appropriate for the type of vision being assessed, and using 14 inches helps to standardize the testing conditions and improve the reliability of the results.