How to Check Your Eyesight at Home: A Basic Vision Assessment Before Getting Glasses

April 17, 2026

Checking your eyesight at home is a simple first step that can help you notice changes in your vision more easily. It gives you a general idea of whether your prescription may have changed and encourages you to pay more attention to your eye health.

But how can you tell whether you are nearsighted or farsighted? If you are wondering, here are some easy ways to assess your vision. These methods can help you identify general trends in your eyesight and serve as useful information before deciding to get prescription glasses.

Key Takeaways

At-home vision checks are only a basic screening method for identifying possible vision problems.
You can test your eyesight in several ways, such as observing vision changes in daily life or using simple tools to assess your vision at different distances.
If you notice abnormal results after testing for nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, you should have a detailed eye exam with an optometrist for the most accurate results.

Table of Contents

How Can You Check Your Eyesight at Home?

You can start checking for vision problems simply by paying closer attention to your own visual habits and symptoms. Here are some ways to check your eyesight at home:

Cover One Eye at a Time

Try covering one eye with your hand and looking at an object in the distance. Then switch and cover the other eye to compare the clarity between both eyes. You can also do a simple visual field self-check by looking straight ahead and noticing your side vision. If one eye seems blurrier or has a narrower field of view, it may be a sign of a vision change.

Observe Your Vision in Daily Life

Pay attention to your symptoms during everyday activities. If you often experience headaches, squint when reading small text, or find it difficult to focus on a computer screen at a normal distance, these may be signs that your prescription has changed and that you should have your eyes examined more thoroughly.

Notice Glare or Scattered Light in the Dark

If you see starbursts or scattered glare around lights while driving at night, this may be a sign of astigmatism. Astigmatism prevents light from focusing at a single point, which can make your vision less sharp than before.

What Types of At-Home Vision Checks Are There?

วัด สายตา เอง ง่ายๆ If you are looking for ways to check your eyesight, there are several types of vision tests you can do before visiting an optical store. Each one helps assess different kinds of vision problems.

Testing for Nearsightedness

A nearsightedness test usually uses an eye chart or letters that gradually get smaller. The person being tested stands at a specific distance from the chart to see how clearly they can read it. Today, you can easily find printable eye charts or use online myopia tests for a rough assessment of your vision.

Testing for Farsightedness

You can do a simple farsightedness check by reading a book or looking at an object at a close distance of around 30 to 40 centimeters. If you need to hold it farther away than usual to see clearly, this may be a sign of age-related farsightedness, or presbyopia. This is one of the easiest ways to assess near vision without any special equipment.

Testing for Astigmatism

A simple astigmatism check can be done using an astigmatism chart, which usually features straight lines radiating outward like the hands of a clock. If some lines appear darker, clearer, or more tilted than others, this may be a sign of astigmatism.

At-Home Eye Test vs. Eye Exam by an Optometrist: What’s the Difference?

Although checking your eyesight at home is convenient and time-saving, it differs from a professional eye exam by an optometrist in several important ways.

Topic	At-Home Eye Test	Exam by an Optometrist
Purpose	Basic screening for possible vision problems	Detailed assessment of visual abnormalities
Tools	Vision test apps, observation of surrounding objects	Digital instruments, corneal scanners, trial lenses
Accuracy	Gives only a rough indication, cannot provide an exact prescription	Highly accurate results for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism

FAQs

Q: Can I really test my eyesight at home?

A: Yes, but an at-home eye test is only for basic screening to help you notice whether your vision may be changing. It cannot provide exact prescription numbers for making glasses.

Q: How reliable are vision tests on a phone or computer?

A: Vision tests on a phone or online can be useful for a rough self-check, but factors such as lighting and screen distance make the results unreliable as a substitute for a real eye exam.

Check Your Eyesight at Home, Then Get an Accurate Eye Exam at Better Vision

Checking your eyesight at home is a good starting point for noticing changes in your vision and becoming more aware of your eye health. However, if you want detailed and accurate results, it is best to have your eyes examined by an optometrist or eye care professional using standard equipment. This ensures you receive the correct prescription and the most suitable glasses for your needs.

Whatever kind of vision problem you may be experiencing, Better Vision is ready to be your eye care partner. Our team of optometrists and specialists provides detailed eye examinations at no cost, covering everything from personalized eye health assessments to selecting the right lenses and frames for daily use. This helps ensure that every view is sharper and more comfortable.

Contact Better Vision