EN ISO 18490:2026

Non-destructive testing - Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT personnel (ISO 18490:2026)

This document specifies quality requirements for the chart, test procedure and acceptance level for near, far, and colour vision acuity of NDT personnel. Information for grey scale perception and low contrast can be found in the annexes. This document also specifies the qualification requirements for personnel permitted to carry out the test.
This document is only applicable to vision acuity under defined conditions similar to those encountered during routine NDT inspection. This document does not address an individual’s overall visual acuity and users are advised to consider the need for a general eye examination by specialist medical personnel to ensure general vision acuity.

Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung - Bestimmung der Sehfähigkeit von ZfP-Personal (ISO 18490:2026)

Dieses Dokument legt Qualitätsanforderungen an die Sehtesttafel, Prüfverfahren und Kriterien für die akzeptierbare Nah , Fern- und Farbsehschärfe des Personals für die ZfP fest. Informationen zur Graustufenwahrnehmung und zur Kontrastsehfähigkeit sind in den Anhängen zu finden. Dieses Dokument legt die Anforderungen an die Qualifikation des Personals fest, das zur Durchführung der Prüfung befugt ist.
Dieses Dokument gilt nur für die Sehschärfe unter festgelegten Bedingungen, die den Bedingungen bei einer routinemäßigen zerstörungsfreien Prüfung entsprechen. In diesem Dokument wird die Gesamtsehschärfe einer bestimmten Person nicht behandelt; den Anwendern wird empfohlen zu überlegen, ob eine allgemeine Augenuntersuchung durch spezialisiertes medizinisches Personal notwendig ist, um sicherzustellen, dass die allgemeine Sehschärfe ausreichend ist.

Essais non destructifs - Évaluation de l'acuité visuelle du personnel END (ISO 18490:2026)

Le présent document spécifie les exigences de qualité requises pour le tableau, la procédure de contrôle et le niveau d’acceptation pour l’acuité de la vision de près, de loin et des couleurs du personnel END. Les annexes contiennent des informations sur la perception de l’échelle de gris et des faibles contrastes. Le présent document spécifie également les exigences relatives à la qualification du personnel autorisé à effectuer ces contrôles.
Le présent document ne s'applique qu'à l’acuité visuelle dans des conditions définies, similaires à celles rencontrées lors des contrôles END de routine. Le présent document n’aborde pas l’acuité visuelle générale des individus. Il est conseillé aux utilisateurs d’envisager de procéder à un examen général d’ophtalmologie chez un médecin spécialiste afin de s’assurer que leur acuité visuelle générale.

Neporušitvene preiskave - Vrednotenje ostrine vida za osebje, ki izvaja neporušitvene preiskave (NDT) (ISO 18490:2026)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 07-Apr-2026
• ICS: 03.100.30 - Management of human resources
• ICS: 11.040.70 - Ophthalmic equipment
• ICS: 19.100 - Non-destructive testing
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 138 - Non-destructive testing
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 08-Apr-2026
• Completion Date: 08-Apr-2026
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 18490:2026 - Non-destructive testing - Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT personnel (ISO 18490:2026)

Relations

• Replaces: EN ISO 18490:2015 - Non-destructive Testing - Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT personnel (ISO 18490:2015)
• Effective Date: 13-Dec-2023
• Consolidated By: ISO 18490:2026 - Non-destructive testing — Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT personnel
• Effective Date: 12-Feb-2026

Overview

EN ISO 18490:2026 - Non-destructive testing – Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT personnel, establishes internationally recognized requirements for assessing the visual acuity of personnel performing non-destructive testing (NDT). Published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and aligned with ISO, this standard specifies the quality and procedural requirements for testing near, far, and colour vision. It also covers the necessary qualifications for individuals administering the tests and offers guidance on related aspects such as grey scale perception and low-contrast vision, both of which are particularly pertinent in NDT contexts like radiography.

Key Topics

• Testing Requirements
  The standard details minimum quality requirements for charts (e.g., Radner, Snellen, Landolt, and Ishihara charts), test procedures, and acceptance criteria for near, far, and colour vision acuity in NDT personnel.

• Test Procedure and Conditions
  Specific guidelines are provided for the administration of vision tests, including:

  • Proper lighting levels (lux requirements)
  • Specified testing distances for each chart type
  • Use of appropriate eyewear as worn during actual NDT tasks
  • Ensuring charts are produced to a defined standard and correctly marked

• Personnel Qualifications
  The document outlines that testing must be conducted by qualified individuals, such as licensed physicians, optometrists, nurses, ophthalmologists, or designated NDT Level 3 personnel.

• Acceptance Levels
  Clearly defined pass/fail thresholds are given for each vision component. For example:

  • Near vision (Radner or Snellen chart) and far vision (Snellen or Landolt chart) with specific size and acuity notations.
  • Colour vision verification via the first 17 plates of a standard Ishihara chart, with additional employer-administered trade tests for those not meeting criteria.

• Annexes and Informative Content
  Annexes provide further details on alternative charts, grey scale perception, low contrast acuity, and sample documentation.

Applications

EN ISO 18490:2026 is essential for organizations involved in non-destructive testing across industries such as:

• Aerospace
• Energy and power generation
• Manufacturing
• Construction
• Transportation

Ensuring that NDT personnel meet required vision acuity is a vital safety and quality assurance measure. Implementation of this standard helps organizations:

• Maintain compliance with ISO 9712 and other certification/qualification schemes for NDT personnel.
• Demonstrate due diligence regarding the competence of inspection staff.
• Reduce the risk of inspection errors due to inadequate vision, thereby enhancing defect detection, safety, and service reliability.

Regular vision screening as defined by EN ISO 18490:2026 also supports overall workforce health monitoring and compliance with occupational health and safety regulations.

Related Standards

Organizations applying EN ISO 18490:2026 should also consider alignment with the following relevant standards:

• ISO 9712 – Non-destructive testing - Qualification and certification of NDT personnel
• ISO 7921:2024 – Ophthalmic optics and instruments – Near reading charts
• ISO 8596:2017 – Ophthalmic optics - Visual acuity testing - Standard and clinical optotypes and their presentation
• ISO 10938:2016 – Ophthalmic optics - Chart displays for visual acuity measurement - Printed, projected and electronic
• ASTM E3168 – Determining Low-Contrast Visual Acuity of Radiographic Interpreters

By integrating the provisions of EN ISO 18490:2026 into their quality and training systems, NDT organizations can ensure thorough, consistent vision screening and uphold the highest levels of inspection performance and reliability.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
01-julij-2025
Neporušitvene preiskave - Vrednotenje ostrine vida za osebje, ki izvaja
neporušitvene preiskave (NDT) (ISO/DIS 18490:2025)
Non-destructive testing - Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT personnel (ISO/DIS
18490:2025)
Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung - Bestimmung der Sehfähigkeit von ZfP-Personal (ISO/DIS
18490:2025)
Essais non destructifs - Évaluation de l'acuité visuelle du personnel END (ISO/DIS
18490:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 18490
ICS:
03.100.30 Vodenje ljudi Management of human
resources
19.100 Neporušitveno preskušanje Non-destructive testing
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 18490
ISO/TC 135/SC 7
Non-destructive testing —
Secretariat: SCC
Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT
Voting begins on:
personnel
2025-05-01
Essais non destructifs — Évaluation de l'acuité visuelle du
Voting terminates on:
personnel END
2025-07-24
ICS: 03.100.30; 19.100
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Reference number
ISO/DIS 18490:2025(en)
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 18490:2025(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 18490
ISO/TC 135/SC 7
Non-destructive testing —
Secretariat: SCC
Evaluation of vision acuity of NDT
Voting begins on:
personnel
Essais non destructifs — Évaluation de l'acuité visuelle du
Voting terminates on:
personnel END
ICS: 03.100.30; 19.100
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2025
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO copyright office
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
Phone: [phone]
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland Reference number
ISO/DIS 18490:2025(en)
ii
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
ISO/DIS 18490:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Chart print quality and marking . 2
5 Health and safety requirements . 2
6 Personnel administering the test . 2
7 Near and Far Vision Test charts . 2
8 Test procedure . 2
8.1 General .2
8.2 Illumination level (normative) .3
8.3 Luminance (informative) .3
8.4 Eye to chart distance .3
8.5 Vision Correction .3
8.6 The tests .3
9 Acceptance levels. 4
Annex A (informative) Radner Chart (Not to scale) . 5
Annex B (informative) Snellen Chart (Not to scale) . 6
Annex C (informative) Landolt Chart (Not to scale) . 7
Annex D (informative) Ishihara Chart (Not to Scale) . 8
Annex E (informative) Sample Colour Trade Test Exam . 9
Annex F (informative) Corresponding Reading Acuity Notations for Test Distances of 40 cm
(16 inches) and 32 cm (12.5 inches) .12
Annex G (informative) Grey Scale Perception Testing .13
Annex H (informative) Low Contrast Visual Acuity. 14
Bibliography .15

iii
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
ISO/DIS 18490:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 135, Non-destructive testing, SC 7, Personnel
Qualification in collaboration with European Committee for Standardization (CEN), in accordance with the
Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 18490:2015), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— Far and Colour vision acuity of NDT personnel added to the Scope
— Reference to EN 4179 Aerospace series - Qualification and approval of personnel for non-destructive
testing removed
— Reference to ISO 8596:2017 Ophthalmic optics Visual acuity testing Standard and clinical optotypes and
their presentation added as informative reference in the bibliography
— Reference to ISO 7921:2024 Ophthalmic optics and instruments- Near reading charts added as informative
reference in the bibliography
— Reference to ISO 10938:2016 Ophthalmic optics — Chart displays for visual acuity measurement — Printed,
projected and electronic added as informative reference in the bibliography
— Reference to ASTM E3168, Standard practice for Determining Low-Contrast Visual Acuity of Radiographic
Interpreters added as informative reference in the bibliography
— New terms and definitions added
— Charts for Illumination level and Luminance added; Chart for Eye to Chart distance for Near, Far and
Colour vision added
— Additional provisions for vision correction added
— Test instructions for Near, Far, and Colour vision added

iv
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
ISO/DIS 18490:2025(en)
— Informative information for grey scale perception and low contrast acuity added as Annexes (Annex G
and Annex H)
— For Near vision removed use of Jaeger Chart and Tumbling E and added use of Reading Charts and
Snellen chart
— Acceptance level for Near, Far, Colour visions added
— Examples of Radner, Snellen and Landolt charts added as Annexes
— Corresponding Reading Acuity Notations for Test Distances of 40 cm (16 inches) and 32 cm (12.5 inches)
added as Annex
v
oSIST prEN ISO 18490:2025
ISO/DIS 18490:2025(en)
Introduction
Standards for NDT Personnel qualification and certification require that the visual acuity of inspection
personnel is verified as being appropriate to their function. By meeting the vision acuity level defined in
this International Standard, such requirements of ISO 9712 will be met. The purpose of this International
Standard is to provide a detailed, standardised procedure for the evaluation of vision acuity for such
personnel under defined lighting conditions.
The tests are not medical in nature and are intended to objectively ensure adequate vision perception
without reliance on reading ability or text identification. Be
...