What would be used to check visual acuity in the medical office?

The Snellen chart is specifically designed to assess visual acuity, which is the clarity or sharpness of vision. This chart features letters of varying sizes, which patients are asked to read from a specific distance. By determining the smallest letters a patient can read, healthcare providers can quantify visual acuity, typically represented as a fraction (such as 20/20 vision).

In a medical office, this tool is commonly used during routine vision screenings and eye examinations to help detect any problems with a patient's eyesight. The other tools mentioned, while valuable in their own right, serve different purposes. An ophthalmoscope is used to examine the interior of the eye, a tonometer measures intraocular pressure to detect glaucoma, and specific glaucoma tests assess the overall health of the optic nerve and visual field. However, for measuring visual acuity directly, the Snellen chart is the established and appropriate choice.