Objective To evaluate and compare the methods of measurement and statistical analysis of visual acuity (VA) in articles published in the Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology (CJO)and the American Journal of Ophthalmology (AJO). Methods The full text of articles published in CJO and AJO from 2003 to 2005 were obtained. Data were collected including if type of VA chart used was mentioned, the unit of VA, whether the unit of VA was converted into a logarithmic unit,descriptive and inference statistics of VA, and whether figures describing VA and tables listing VA data were used. The proportion of every method used in the articles of either journal were calculated and compared. Results There were 400 papers published in CJO during the three years, 132 (33.0%)mentioned VA; 616 papers published in AJO, 358 (58.1%) mentioned VA. Seventy-seven point three percent and 50.8% of the articles in CJO and AJO, respectively, did not describe the type of VA chart. 91.7% of the articles in CJO used a decimal unit for VA, including 2.6% of which were converted into a logarithmic unit, and 3.8% of the articles used a logarithmic unit directly. In comparison, 74.9% of the articles in AJO used a fraction unit for VA, including 29.4% of which were converted into a logarithmic unit, and 14.0% of the articles used a logarithmic unit directly.The proportions of mean, standard deviation and median used in CJO articles were 8.3%, 6.1% and 0%, respectively, compared to 31.0%, 16.8% and 14.0%, respectively, of AJO articles. Analysis of variance or t-test appeared in 5.3% of CJO articles, and 19.0% in AJO articles. Descriptive figures and tables listing all cases of VA data were found in 2.3% and 6.8% of CJO articles, respectively,compared to 14.2% and 24.9% of A JO articles, respectively. Conclusion Decimal units for VA were used in the majority of CJO articles, while both fraction and logarithmic units were used in AJO articles. More statistical analysis was used in AJO articles than those in CJO, such as mean,standard deviation, median, t-tes