What is Visual
Acuity and Why
Do NDT
Technicians Need
It?
Connor Marshman • Jan 28, 2020
The eyes are an important piece of
equipment that an NDT technician uses
in order to perform inspections.
Introduction: What is Visual Acuity?
Visual acuity is defined as the sharpness of vision,
measured by the ability to discern letters or
numbers at a given distance. You have probably
performed a visual acuity test with an eye chart at
the doctor's o!ice. 20/20 vision is the baseline
standard for visual acuity. If you have 20/20 vision,
then you can process a normal amount of visual
information at a distance of 20 feet. If you have
20/80 vision, then your vision at 20 feet is equal to
a person standing 80 feet away with standard
vision. Many people do not meet the 20/20 vision
standard, so corrective lenses such as glasses or
contacts are readily available.
Diagram of the Eye
How does vision work? Light enters the eyes
through the pupil. It passes through the lens and is
projected on the retina at the back of the eye. The
retina is made up of photoreceptors called rods
and cones. Rods are primarily used in dark
conditions, because they are sensitive to blue and
green light with a maximum sensitivity of 498 nm
wavelength. Cones give us our basic color vision in
the daylight, and they are comprised of L-cones, M-
cones, and S-cones.
L-Cones: Detect red light with a peak
sensitivity of 564 nm
M-cones: Detect green light with a peak
sensitivity of 533 nm
S-cones: Detect blue light with a peak
sensitivity of 437 nm
NDT Visual Acuity Requirements
According to ASNT, visual certification for an NDT
technician requires visual acuity in at least one
eye. Visual acuity is tested by a person properly
reading the Jaeger J1 eye test chart, or equivalent,
at a distance of 30.5 cm or 12 in. Additionally, an
NDT technician must be able to di!erentiate
between the colors used in NDT methods. Eyes
tests can be performed by a medical practitioner or
a person that is certified to give the test.
Why is Visual Acuity Important for NDT
Technicians
Whether it's ultrasonic testing, eddy current
testing, or liquid penetrant testing, all NDT
methods involve some form of visual examination.
For instance, radiographic testing uses X-rays to
generate an image on film, but that film must be
carefully examined by the technician in order to
discover flaws. Additionally, most nondestructive
testing starts with the naked eye through visual
inspection. Flaws rarely stand out like a waving red
flag; scrutiny of a component is required. That's
why NDT technicians must be trained and certified.
Otherwise, anyone could perform this work.
Conclusion
Without quality vision, defects can be overlooked,
and this defeats the entire purpose of
nondestructive testing. If the eyes are deficient,
corrective lenses can be used, so there is no excuse
for anything less than 20/20 vision in the
workplace. You wouldn't run equipment that's
only performing at 60% e!ectiveness, so why
would be it acceptable for a technician to perform
his job with less than 20/20 standard vision? Yes,
the eyes are just another type of equipment that a
technician uses in order to perform quality
inspections.
Citations
Visual Acuity of the Human Eye. (n.d.).
Retrieved January 28, 2020, from
https://www.nde-
ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityColl
ege/PenetrantTest/Introduction/visualacuity
.htm
ASNT Visual Certification Requirements.
(n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2020, from
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&c
ad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiExsS86abnAh
WNCuwKHbgTA0UQFjABegQIChAF&url=https
://www.asnt.org/~/media/Files/Certification/
ACCP/Level-
II/visualacuityform.ashx&usg=AOvVaw3a_m
E7fgaWE1uQPho0HBDv
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