# Will I be rquired to wear glasses for mild nearsightedness?



## mikemottos (14 May 2009)

Hello,
I don't normally wear glasses for driving or anything.  However I am slightly nearsighted, so I'll probably fall into the V2 category.  Will I need to wear glasses full time when going through basic etc...?  Or can I keep them on me and put them on to make it easier to read in the distance at night?

I don't wear glasses because they generally give me headaches, and your eyes get weaker with them -thus requiring stronger prescriptions.  My optometrist recommended I wear them only when needed.

Thanks.

PS: thinking of doing infantry


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## gcclarke (14 May 2009)

I can't say whether or not they will force you to wear your glasses, but even mild nearsightedness is surely going to adversely affect your marksmanship at almost any distance. It may be possible that you are able to just keep them on you, and throw them on when needed, while in Canada and on training, I would think that it would be a different situation for when you are deployed.


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## Michael OLeary (14 May 2009)

mikemottos said:
			
		

> I don't wear glasses because they generally give me headaches, and your eyes get weaker with them -thus requiring stronger prescriptions.  My optometrist recommended I wear them only when needed.



Myths about Vision and Eyeglasses



> hen children become nearsighted (myopic), usually between the ages of 8 and 12, there is a natural progression in their myopia and a need for a stronger correction over the next few years. These children, as well as nearsighted adults, may believe that glasses have weakened their eyes when their lens prescription needs to be made strong. *Glasses, however, do not weaken eyes; they are simply aids to improve vision. *People who have been able to read easily close up without glasses may find that they cannot do so as they get older (past 40). When they begin to need stronger and stronger glasses, they may assume that wearing glasses has "ruined" their eyes. In actuality, they are experiencing a normal condition called presbyopia - the inability of the aging eye to focus on near objects.


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## JBoyd (14 May 2009)

ML is right, glasses do not weaken the eyes or cause you to need stronger prescriptions in the future. I have had glasses for 12 years, had one pair for 10.. my prescription has not changed since I first had my eyes checked. 

One thing that does help to weaken the eyes though are those silly little emo haircuts that all the kids are getting these days, when you have bangs covering one eye (or anything for that matter) for an extended period of time the eye becomes lazy.


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## mikemottos (14 May 2009)

thanks for the replies, my question wasn't whether glasses weaken eyesight. 

I was just wondering if we were required to wear them.  Does anyone else have a take on this?


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## PMedMoe (14 May 2009)

Nobody is going to force you to wear glasses.  Yes, you'll do better at marksmanship if you do, but I doubt the improvement would be so huge as to make you want to wear them all the time.  I also wear glasses just for driving, although it's not mandatory on either my military or civilian driver's licence.  I'm still a V1, as well.


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## kincanucks (17 May 2009)

Should have worn some sort of eye-wear when you typed out the subject.


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## Occam (17 May 2009)

kincanucks said:
			
		

> Should have worn some sort of eye-wear eyewear when you typed out the subject.



Do we _really_ want to go there?


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## kincanucks (17 May 2009)

Occam said:
			
		

> Do we _really_ want to go there?



Yes that is certainly the same thing.

HH and DA


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## Rinker (18 May 2009)

Hey Mikemottos, I also do not have severe myopia but still require glasses. Though still just barely meet the legal limit for driving without glasses. So I have never had to get glasses. Just sat closer to the board at school. Anyways, I always worried about what that rule might be, because I would prefer not to wear them while on an obstacle course or a run. I have all my tests on Tuesday, tomorrow. I was going to ask the doctor and recruiters their opinions. So really all I am worried about now is not having glasses for the test, as I don't have them yet. But I do have a not from my optometrist stating what kind of prescription I need etc etc. So I will let you know the answer on Wednesday.


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## px90 (18 May 2009)

Hmmm, this never even crossed my mind , but I would be interested in hearing what they tell you. I too am V2 vision, and never wear my glasses in fact I did not even bring them to my Medical , I just handed them my optometrist form. I have a pair of prescription sun glasses I wear in the summer, since It is nice to drive with sunglasses on during those months I figured I might as well get them prescription courtesy of Blue Cross. If choosing to wear them means I always have to wear them, I will just rough it out on the firing range. (Granted in the end I may be forced to wear them to pass)


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## aesop081 (18 May 2009)

Folks, dont be f'ing stupid.

If certain situations require you to wear glasses....f'ing wear them.

I am V2 and require glasses to see far. My job requires me, 99% of the time, to see what happens on screens and dials less that a foot away from my face. When i need to look out one of the few windows i have available ( on a SAR search for example), i pull out my damned glasses.

Nobody forces me to wear them when they are not required. My medical docs have no such instructions on them. If the doc had written "must always wear glasses"......i would.

Use some common sense lest you get someone killed.


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## Rinker (18 May 2009)

O for sure I would wear my glasses on the firing range, in the field, overseas if I ever go. But I don't want to have to wear them while on a run, or my forced march during BMQ.


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## Michael OLeary (19 May 2009)

OK, let's put it this way.  No-one will be looking over your shoulder to make sure you are wearing glasses at all times just because they have been issued.  You will, however, be expected to be smart enough to wear them when they are necessary to effectively complete tasks.  If you fail to do that and it is shown to be a factor in an accident or incident, then the Code of Service Discipline may become involved in your personal affairs.

Is that simple enough?


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## px90 (19 May 2009)

Michael O'Leary said:
			
		

> OK, let's put it this way.  No-one will be looking over your shoulder to make sure you are wearing glasses at all times just because they have been issued.  You will, however, be expected to be smart enough to wear them when they are necessary to effectively complete tasks.  If you fail to do that and it is shown to be a factor in an accident or incident, then the Code of Service Discipline may become involved in your personal affairs.
> 
> Is that simple enough?



As persons not currently in the military, and not familiar with policies and procedures with respect to wearing glasses that have been issued, Yes that is simple enough much appreciated.


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## Rinker (19 May 2009)

Well had my medical today, and got off really lucky. My eyes were so so close to v1 that they gave it to me with 6/6 left eye and 6/9 right eye. So never had to ask the question, good luck though.


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