Abstract
The current practice of the determination of the visual acuity is rather defectively standardized. This gives difficulties at medical examinations and with the transfer of clinical data. It is investigated why the numerous efforts for standardization have failed in the past. It seems that this is caused by a bad elaboration of the thoughts developed and by a complete absence of a follow-up to carry through the results obtained. Much care is therefore bestowed upon concrete elaboration of the basic ideas of standardization and upon the policy required to get the standard introduced and accepted.