Objective: To conduct a preliminary study of the Lea Symbols and HOTV charts to explore the visual development of children aged 2.5 to 5.0 years, and evaluate the application values of the two charts. Methods: A total of 461 children (922 eyes) in 2 early education centers and 3 kindergartens in Guangzhou were examined by using the Lea Symbols visual acuity chart and HOTV visual acuity chart in random order. All the children underwent low-pupil photometry, anterior section slit-lamp examination, retinal condition, eye movement, and eye position examination 1 day in advance. Children with no organic eye disease and normal diopter were selected as subjects. Visual acuity was recorded with 5 points. Results: 1) Measurable rate (visual acuity chart use degree of cooperation). 407 children completed visual examination of Lea Symbols, with an overall detectable rate of 92.08%; 402 children completed HOTV vision examination, with an overall detectable rate of 90.95%. The detectable rate of the former was higher than that of the latter, but the difference was not statistically significant (χ² =0.417, P=0.580). Further study found that the detectable rate of both visual acuities increased with age, and children were able to complete both visual acuity tests after the age of 3. 2) Results and comparison of two visual acuity (5-point recording method). The visual acuity of Lea was 4.89±0.05 in the right eye and 4.90±0.05 in the left eye. HOTV visual acuity was 4.84±0.05 in the right eye and 4.85±0.04 in the left eye. The visual acuity of the former was better than that of the latter, the difference was statistically significant (right eye: t=3.171, P=0.003; left eye: t=3.230, P=0.003). 3) Correlation between visual development and age. There was a significant positive correlation between the two types of visual development and age (P<0.001), that is, visual acuity gradually improves with age. 4) The relationship between visual development and eye and sex. There was no difference in visual development between the left and right eyes, but male children had better visual development than female, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Lea Symbols and HOTV visual acuity charts are recommended for visual acuity examination of children over 3 years old, and children are more likely to receive examination of Lea Symbols visual acuity chart. With the growth of age, the visual development of children shows a trend of improvement. Lea vision is superior to HOTV vision. Vision development has nothing to do with the eye, male children’s vision development is faster than female children.