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The Snellen chart is a widely recognized tool specifically designed to assess central visual acuity. This method involves the patient reading lines of letters that decrease in size, allowing practitioners to determine the smallest text the patient can read at a specified distance, typically 20 feet. The results are then expressed using a fraction, where the numerator indicates the testing distance and the denominator reflects the distance at which a person with normal vision can read the same line.

In contrast, confrontation testing primarily evaluates peripheral vision rather than central acuity. Visual field tests are comprehensive measures to assess the entirety of the visual field and are also focused on peripheral vision. Fundoscopy is a diagnostic examination used to view the interior of the eye, including the retina, optic disc, and blood vessels, but it does not measure visual acuity. Therefore, the Snellen chart remains the standard and most effective method for directly assessing central visual acuity.