Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

If an 18-year-old male athlete's vision is 20/30, what does this indicate?

1. The patient can see at 20 ft what a person with normal vision can see at 30 ft

2. The patient can see at 30 ft what a person with normal vision can see at 20 ft

3. The patient cannot engage in contact sports

4. The patient needs to be referred to an ophthalmologist

The correct answer is: The patient can see at 20 ft what a person with normal vision can see at 30 ft

When vision is expressed as 20/30, it indicates that the individual can see at 20 feet what a person with normal vision (20/20) can see at 30 feet. This means the athlete's vision is slightly worse than average but still functional for most activities, including sports. Therefore, the description accurately conveys how visual acuity is measured in relation to standard visual performance, allowing for an understanding of the individual’s visual capabilities. This specific measurement does not necessarily imply any condition that would require immediate referral to an ophthalmologist or disqualification from contact sports, as those determinations are typically based on a combination of visual acuity, health history, and specific sport requirements.