A nearsighted (myopic) person, without their needed glasses, takes a Snellen Test. They stand at the standard 20 feet away from the chart. Their visual acuity is recorded as 20/80. Which of the following is a true statement based on their 20/80 vision?  

• A. They can see an object 80 feet away with the same acuity as someone with normal vision can see at 20 feet.
• B. They have normal 20/20 vision and can see objects clearly at 80 feet away.
• C. They can read the smallest letters at the bottom chart with 80 times greater acuity.
• D. They can see an object 20 feet away with the same acuity as someone with normal vision can see at 80 feet.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the meaning of the Snellen visual acuity notation, which is written as \( \frac{A}{B} \), where \(A\) is the distance at which the test is performed (usually 20 feet), and \(B\) is the distance at which a person with normal vision can see the same object clearly.
2. Interpret the given visual acuity of 20/80: this means the person can see at 20 feet what a person with normal vision can see at 80 feet.
3. Analyze each statement by comparing it to the definition of 20/80 vision:
4. - The first statement says they can see an object 80 feet away as well as a normal person can at 20 feet, which reverses the ratio and is incorrect.
5. - The second statement claims normal 20/20 vision, which contradicts the 20/80 measurement.
6. - The third statement about reading the smallest letters with 80 times greater acuity is a misunderstanding of the ratio.
7. - The last statement correctly reflects the meaning of 20/80 vision: the person sees at 20 feet what a normal person sees at 80 feet.
8. Conclude that the correct interpretation of 20/80 vision is that the person’s visual acuity is reduced, and they must be closer (20 feet) to see what a normal person can see from farther away (80 feet).