Visual Acuity Converter (Snellen ⇄ 6/6 ⇄ LogMAR ⇄ Decimal)
The four international formats for visual acuity — US Snellen 20/x, metric 6/y, LogMAR, and decimal — are four notations for the same underlying quantity: the minimum angle of resolution (MAR). This tool converts among all four simultaneously and grades vision impairment using the WHO ICD-11 8C7Z categories (six bands, from "normal" to "blindness category 2"). Clinics, research charts (ETDRS), driving / occupational medicals, ophthalmology prescriptions and low-vision rehabilitation all need this — e.g. US "20/20" = HK optometry "6/6" = ETDRS LogMAR 0.00 = Japan decimal 1.0.
Enter valid positive numbers — Snellen numerator and denominator > 0, decimal > 0, LogMAR a real number.
Snellen 20/x
20/40
Metric Snellen 6/y
6/12
LogMAR
0.30
Decimal
0.50
WHO ICD-11 category (best-corrected acuity)
Mild vision impairment (< 20/25 to ≥ 20/70)
Per WHO ICD-11 8C7Z vision-impairment categories, measured in the better eye after best correction.
For conversion reference only — not a medical diagnosis. Driving / occupational / clinical vision checks must use a registered ophthalmologist or optometrist's measured acuity.
Formula
MAR (arc-minutes) = denom ⁄ num × (base ⁄ num); Decimal = 1 ⁄ MAR; LogMAR = log₁₀(MAR); Snellen 20/x: x = 20 × MAR; Metric 6/y: y = 6 × MAR.
- · "20/20" means the patient can resolve at 20 ft what a normal eye also resolves at 20 ft. 20/40 means you must be at 20 ft to see what a normal eye sees at 40 ft. Bigger denominator → worse vision.
- · The US uses 20 ft because traditional exam lanes were that long; the rest of the world (UK, EU, HK, India) uses 6 m (≈ 20 ft), so "6/6" and "20/20" are identical acuities.
- · LogMAR is the scientific standard (Bailey & Lovie-Kitchin 1976, ETDRS chart). Each chart row is 0.1 LogMAR (a 10^0.1 ≈ 1.26 × size step) and each individual letter is 0.02 LogMAR. Far more regular than Snellen — the gold standard for clinical research, cataract surgery outcomes and refractive surgery results.
- · Decimal acuity (= 1 ⁄ MAR) is used in Japan, Korea and parts of continental Europe; the most intuitive scale (1.0 = normal, 0.5 = half-normal, 0.1 = one-tenth).
- · Legal blindness definitions vary by country: US = best-corrected acuity ≤ 20/200 in the better eye; UK = 6/60 or worse plus < 20° visual field; WHO ICD-11 uses a 4-band scheme (what this tool reports). Hong Kong's "disability allowance for the blind" follows the WHO LogMAR > 1.3 cut-off.
- · For reference only — a real acuity measurement must be performed by a registered ophthalmologist or optometrist under standardised illumination, chart and distance.
- · References: Holladay J.T. (1997) J. Refract. Surg. 13:388–391; Bailey & Lovie-Kitchin (1976) Am. J. Optom. Physiol. Opt. 53:740; American Academy of Ophthalmology BCSC §3.IV (Clinical Optics); WHO ICD-11 8C7Z; ETDRS chart construction standards.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between 20/20 vision and 6/6 vision?
They are exactly the same — the only difference is the unit. "20/20" is in feet (20 ft, used in US clinics and historic British practice); "6/6" is metric (6 m ≈ 20 ft, used in HK, UK NHS, India, Australia, NZ and most of the world). Both encode LogMAR 0.00 = decimal 1.0 = MAR 1.0 arc-minute — the reference "normal" adult acuity. So a US prescription reading "OD: 20/30 OS: 20/20" is exactly the same as a UK/HK optometrist writing "R: 6/9 L: 6/6".
Why do ophthalmologists prefer LogMAR to Snellen for research?
Statistics. LogMAR is linear on the number line, so means, paired-t tests, ANOVA and confidence intervals all work properly. Snellen has two problems: (1) chart rows are not equally spaced — 20/20, 20/25, 20/30, 20/40, 20/50, 20/60 jump between 0.10 and 0.20 logMAR steps, so averaging is meaningless; (2) "miss one letter" drops you a whole Snellen row, but LogMAR scores each letter at 0.02 so you get half-line resolution. So a cataract paper can only say "vision went from 20/40 to 20/25" with Snellen, but with LogMAR it can say "vision improved by 0.20 logMAR, p < 0.001" — the actual language a peer-reviewed journal demands. That is why the ETDRS chart (1980s onward) and every major clinical trial use LogMAR.
What acuity do I need for driving and occupational medicals?
It depends on the country, but the tool's WHO categories are independent of driving requirements: (1) UK DVLA: must read a number plate at 20.5 m AND ≥ 6/12 (≈ 20/40, LogMAR 0.30, decimal 0.5). (2) Hong Kong Transport Department: private car ≥ 6/12 with both eyes; commercial vehicle ≥ 6/9. (3) US state DMVs: typically 20/40 binocular; many states allow up to 20/70 monocular. (4) EU Directive 2006/126: private car ≥ 0.5 decimal (≈ 6/12 / 20/40); commercial ≥ 0.8 (≈ 20/25). (5) ICAO Class 1 commercial pilots: ≥ 6/9 corrected. The ICD-11 categories this tool reports are for clinical and disability-allowance use, not for driving — always consult your local transport authority's published standards.
Related tools
BMI (Body Mass Index) Calculator
Enter height and weight to get your BMI and category (underweight / normal / overweight / obese).
BMR & TDEE Calculator
Estimate daily BMR and TDEE using Mifflin-St Jeor or Harris-Benedict, with calorie targets for cutting and bulking.
Body Fat Calculator (US Navy method)
Estimate body fat percentage using the US Navy circumference formula (neck, waist, plus hip for women).
Sleep Cycle Calculator
Suggest ideal bedtimes or wake times based on 90-minute sleep cycles, so you wake up between cycles instead of mid-deep-sleep.
Daily Water Intake Calculator
Estimate daily water intake from body weight, exercise duration and climate so you stay hydrated without overdoing it.
Running Pace Calculator
Compute pace per km / per mile from distance and time, or project finish time from a target pace — covers 5K, 10K, half- and full-marathon distances.
Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Compute 5 training heart rate zones from age and optional resting HR using the Karvonen formula (Z1 warm-up to Z5 max effort).
Lean Body Mass (LBM) Calculator
Estimate lean body mass (LBM), fat mass and body fat % from height, weight and sex using the Boer, Hume and James formulas.
Daily Macros Calculator (carbs / protein / fat)
Split a daily calorie target into grams of carbs, protein and fat at any macro ratio.
One-Rep Max (1RM) Calculator
Estimate one-rep max from a sub-maximal lift (weight × reps) with Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi and Lander formulas, plus a 50–95% intensity training table.
Body Surface Area (BSA) Calculator
Estimate body surface area from height and weight using the Mosteller, Du Bois, Haycock and Boyd formulas — commonly used in drug-dosing, chemotherapy and cardiac-index calculations.
Race Time Predictor (Riegel Formula)
Project a finish time at one distance from a known time at another distance using the classic Riegel formula T₂ = T₁ × (D₂/D₁)^1.06.
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) Calculator
Compute mean arterial pressure from systolic and diastolic blood pressure with clinical bands and pulse-pressure context: MAP = DBP + (SBP − DBP)/3.
Pack-Year (Smoking History) Calculator
Compute cumulative smoking exposure in pack-years from cigarettes per day and years smoked, with lung-cancer-screening thresholds.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) Calculator
Divide waist by hip circumference and check the WHO risk bands — a quick screen for central obesity and cardiovascular risk.
Exercise Calorie Burn (MET) Calculator
Use METs, body weight and duration to estimate calories burned for common activities (running, hiking, swimming, cycling and more).
Caffeine Half-Life Calculator
Pick the dose (mg) and the time you drank it; the calculator uses the standard ~5-hour caffeine half-life to project how many milligrams remain hour-by-hour, including the level at bedtime.
Body Adiposity Index (BAI) Calculator
Bergman’s BAI estimates body-fat percentage from hip circumference and height alone (BAI = hip ÷ height^1.5 − 18) — no scale required.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) Calculator
Enter age, sex, height and weight to compare all five activity levels side-by-side — instantly see the daily calories you need to maintain weight.
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Calculator
Estimate blood alcohol concentration (BAC %) with the Widmark formula from drinks consumed, body weight, sex and hours elapsed — and compare against the Hong Kong 0.05% drink-driving limit.
VO₂ Max Calculator (Cooper 12-Minute Run Test)
Enter your distance covered in a 12-minute run to estimate VO₂ max and read off the age/sex fitness category.
Daily Protein Intake Calculator
Enter your bodyweight and training goal to get a science-backed daily protein range (g/day) and per-meal split, based on RDA, ISSN and ACSM/AND/DC guidelines.
Ovulation & Fertility Window Calculator
Enter your last menstrual period (LMP) date and average cycle length to estimate the next ovulation day, fertile window and next period.
Total Body Water (TBW) Calculator
Estimate total body water (in litres) and the percentage of body weight using the Watson formula based on age, sex, height and weight.
Steps to Distance & Calories Calculator
Enter step count, height (auto-derives stride length) and body weight to estimate distance walked (km / mi), stride length, calories burned and your daily activity tier.
Glycemic Load (GL) Calculator
Enter a food's glycemic index (GI) and grams of carbs per serving to compute glycemic load GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100 — a better predictor of real blood-sugar response than GI alone.
HbA1c ↔ Average Blood Glucose (eAG) Converter
Convert HbA1c (%) to estimated average glucose (eAG) in both mg/dL and mmol/L — and back again — to help diabetes and prediabetes patients read their lab reports.
FFMI (Fat-Free Mass Index) Calculator
Enter height, weight and body-fat percentage to compute Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI) and the height-adjusted FFMI used to gauge muscularity.
Ideal Body Weight Calculator (Devine / Robinson / Miller / Hamwi)
Enter height and sex to compare the four classic ideal-body-weight formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller, Hamwi), with their average and a ±10 % healthy-weight band.
APGAR Newborn Score Calculator
Select 0–2 points for each of the five APGAR signs (Appearance / Pulse / Grimace / Activity / Respiration) to get the total APGAR score (0–10) and clinical band (normal / moderately depressed / severely depressed).
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Calculator
Pick eye-opening (1–4), verbal (1–5) and motor (1–6) responses to compute the Glasgow Coma Scale total (3–15) with mild / moderate / severe banding.
Pulse Pressure Calculator (PP = SBP − DBP)
Enter systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure; the tool returns the pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure (MAP), then classifies the result as low / normal / elevated using the < 40, 40–60 and > 60 mmHg bands — the textbook signal for cardiovascular risk on a routine BP report.
eGFR Calculator (Kidney Function, CKD-EPI 2021)
Enter serum creatinine, age and sex; the tool applies the 2021 NKF / ASN-recommended CKD-EPI formula (race-free) to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and classifies the result into CKD stages G1–G5 — the standard reading of a kidney-function lab report.
Creatinine Clearance Calculator (Cockcroft–Gault)
Enter age, weight, serum creatinine and sex; the tool applies the 1976 Cockcroft–Gault formula to estimate creatinine clearance (CrCl, mL/min) — still the FDA- and EMA-required formula for renal dose adjustment in most drug labels.
Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator (WHtR)
Enter waist circumference and height in any units; the tool returns the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and classifies it against the universal "keep your waist to less than half your height" cut-off (< 0.5) — a more sensitive central-obesity signal than BMI.
Pediatric Maintenance Fluid Calculator (Holliday-Segar)
Computes the pediatric maintenance IV fluid rate (mL/hr and mL/day) from body weight using the Holliday-Segar 4-2-1 rule — the standard since the original 1957 publication.
Friedewald LDL Cholesterol Calculator
Enter total cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides; the Friedewald equation (LDL = TC − HDL − TG / 5 or / 2.2 SI) estimates LDL-C and grades the result by NCEP ATP III risk bands.
Weight-Loss Timeline Calculator (Calorie Deficit)
Enter your current weight, target weight and daily calorie deficit; the tool uses the "≈ 3 500 kcal per lb of body fat" rule of thumb to project the number of weeks and the expected date you will reach your goal — a sanity check for setting a sustainable pace.
Sweat Rate Calculator (Hydration)
Enter pre / post-exercise body weight, fluids consumed and session length; the tool returns sweat rate per hour (L/h) and a suggested fluid intake every 15 minutes per the ACSM hydration guidelines — used by runners, cyclists, footballers and recruits.
Standard Drinks Calculator
Enter a drink's volume (ml) and alcohol content (ABV %); the tool converts to standard drinks using each region's definition (US 14 g, UK 8 g, AU/HK 10 g, JP 20 g of pure alcohol) and compares with WHO and national low-risk guidelines (e.g. ≤ 10 drinks/week).
Body Roundness Index (BRI) Calculator
Enter height and waist circumference; the tool applies the Thomas (2013) Body Roundness Index BRI = 364.2 − 365.5·√(1 − ((WC/2π) ⁄ (0.5·h))²). BRI tracks visceral fat and metabolic-disease risk more closely than BMI — a JAMA 2024 study linked BRI to cardiovascular mortality.
Burn Surface Area (Rule of Nines, %TBSA)
Tick the burned regions (head, anterior / posterior torso, arms, legs, perineum) and the patient age group (adult / child); the tool applies Wallace's Rule of Nines to return total body-surface-area burned (%TBSA) and shows the Parkland fluid-resuscitation target — the standard field tool in emergency medicine, fire-rescue and first-aid.
Wilks Score Calculator (Powerlifting Normalisation)
Enter body weight, sex and the powerlifting total (squat + bench + deadlift, in kg or lb); the tool applies the Wilks 2020 coefficients to return the Wilks score — the standard way to compare powerlifters across body-weight classes and sexes, and the basis of best-lifter awards in IPF, USAPL and many federations.
Net Carbs Calculator (Keto / Low-Carb)
Enter total carbohydrates, dietary fibre and sugar alcohols (per serving); the tool returns Net Carbs = total carbs − fibre − ½ × sugar alcohols. The standard keto / low-carb / diabetic-diet metric for absorbable carbs per serving.
Cardiac Output Calculator (CO / Cardiac Index)
Enter heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV); the tool computes cardiac output Q = HR × SV (L/min) and, given body surface area (BSA), the cardiac index CI = Q / BSA. Core hemodynamic math for emergency medicine, cardiology and nursing.
Katch-McArdle BMR Calculator (Lean Mass)
Enter weight and body-fat percentage; the tool returns BMR via the Katch-McArdle formula (BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass in kg) and TDEE after an activity multiplier. More accurate than Mifflin-St Jeor for lean and athletic body types where fat mass varies widely.
Pediatric Weight-Based Drug Dose Calculator (mg ⁄ kg)
Enter the child's weight (kg), prescribed dose (mg ⁄ kg ⁄ dose or mg ⁄ kg ⁄ day), dosing frequency and adult-equivalent maximum; the tool returns the per-dose and total-daily amounts and flags when the adult cap is exceeded. The bread-and-butter weight-based dosing framework used in paediatrics worldwide.