What is vision screening? A vision screening is a brief test that mainly checks how well you can see things up close and far away. It is also called an eye test. The test usually involves reading letters on an eye chart. A vision screening is a quick way to find out if you need a comprehensive (complete) eye exam. A complete exam checks both your vision and eye health. It looks for signs of serious eye disorders that may not have symptoms, such as glaucoma. Children usually have vision screening