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Home » Vision: Near Point

Vision: Near Point

By Janice VanCleave

Why People hold books at a distance when reading?
vision-near-point

The closest distance for distinct, clear vision is called the near point. The general accepted distance is 10 inches (25 cm), but it is less for very young children and people with myopia (farsighted).

Discover for Yourself

Find the closest point where your eyes can form a clear image of an object viewed.

Flexible Measuring Tape
flexible measuring tape

Materials
flexible measuring tape (paid link)
helper

What to Do

1. Hold an open book as close as possible to your face without touching your face.
2. Slowly move the book away from your face. Stop when you can read the print on the page. Then, move the book toward and away from your face until you find the closest distance the print can be from your eyes and have the sharpest, clear print.

(Note: If you wear reading glasses, repeat the experiment twice, first with your glasses and then without your glasses.)

3. Ask a helper to measure the distance the book is from your eyes. While the diagram shows a ruler being used, I suggest that you use a , such as the one shown.

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How is water transported through plant stems?What’s the effect of osmosis on a raisin?
What’s the best way to grow penicillin?
How are butterflies different from moths?
You will discover the answers in this book.

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Filed Under: Biology Tagged With: myopia, near point, vision

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