Vision Questions Megathread, Categories, Problems etc.

[Caper]

I am in a similar situation in that I have a hearing problem in one ear which is border-line for the common enrolment medical standard (CEMS) - but is not a problem for the trade which I am trying to enlist into (CELE officier).

Don‘t know if this really helps but here is a link to the CF medical standards which outlines the specific requirements for both recruits and each of the trades (both officer and non-com) :
http://www.dnd.ca/health/policies/engraph/med_standards_home_e.asp

Good luck !

 

[FredDaHead]

Ok, I have a question if anyone knows about it. When I went for the medical test to join in the infantry, I forgot to take off my contact lenses two days before. (I was wearing them just before going in) On the paper, although I‘d forgotten during the couple delays that lasted a few months, it clearly said I‘d have to reschedule the test if I didn‘t keep my contacts off. So, they made me do the test anyway and said my eyes weren‘t good enough. It was back in June, I think, but is there a way I could go back and get re-tested? I heard contact lenses really make your eyes worse for a while after you take ‘em off.

Thanks for the info,

-Fred

 

[Dacier]

Made you do the test anyway?
I wear contacts and remembered what they said about them before the eye exam. My eyes were well enough to pass for infantry.

I did this last month, and I could of sworn I was told that I could reschedule it for a latter date if problems arose. If I were you, I would go to the recruiting centre, reschedule another test. The military guys at the recruitment centre I went too in Hamiliton, Ontario were kind and did their best to help me to get everything squared away. These people are human, and if told a situation, were gray areas are invovled, I‘m sure they will have a heart. Or maybe its a Hamilton only thing, who knew?

 

[FredDaHead]

The woman at the RC was pretty rude. I felt like I was already in bootcamp! Anyway, I‘ll go next time I‘m down in the city.. I dunno if my eyes ARE good enough for infantry, but hopefully they are.

 

[ninty9]

How good do your eyes have to be to "pass" for infantry?

 

[Korus]

To get into the Combat Arms, you need to get v3 category for vision, or better. Here‘s a handy link that will give you some information on it;

http://www.forces.gc.ca/health/policies/med_standards/pdf/Engraph/cfp154_annexAappen_e.pdf

 

[ninty9]

Intesting, but it makes no sense to me. I suppose what it tells me that there is no set vision requirements or a set number. It varys from person to person and that person is required to go through eye exams to see where they stand.

I wear contacts and have -3 in my right eye and -3.5 in my left I believe. Is it unheard of with someone with that prescription to get in?

What was your eyesight at Frederik G?

 

[Ian]

You‘ll be fine with that sort of prescription. I have similar eyes to yours and I‘m in Armoured, which has the same eyesight requirements as Infantry. Shouldn‘t be a problem.

Good luck.

 

[Dacier]

Are contacts allowed to be worn, or is glasses the norm? I wear contacts and would like to continue to do so.

Anyone know what the infantry prefers?

 

[Korus]

You can wear contacts if you want, but it probably won‘t be too good for your eyes. If you‘re in the field, and are awake for at least 20 hours a day, and don‘t have much time or resources to clean up and remove your contacts, it will be pretty bad for your eyes after a while.

I personally wear glasses on course and longer exs, but for short exs and parade days I wear my contacts.

 

[ninty9]

Thanks for the info everyone.

 

[FredDaHead]

I‘m V4, from what they told me. I think I have -4 or so in both eyes, too, but I can‘t figure out if I‘d be in V3 or not from the table Korus posted.

The unit‘s recruiter said I‘d probably be ok to get in, but the recruiting center didn‘t think so...

 

[MethylSilane]

My understanding (and DON‘T take this as gospel) is that if your vision can be corrected to 6/6, you won‘t have much of a problem.

 

[combat_medic]

That‘s not entirely true. If you‘re legally blind (or pretty close) without glasses/contacts, then they won‘t be able to accept you. If your correction is much past -4 in each eye, you may have difficulty getting into combat arms. This question comes up all the time in this forum. If you‘re extremely concerned, you can always just get laser surgery and have it over with (but you still can‘t be a pilot).

 

[Dacier]

Does laser eye surgery hurt night vision at all?
Or is that just a rumor that the squirrels are saying outside my window?

I have heard that after the surgery, you have to wait a year till you can apply for the army. Sometimes the surgery "wears off".

 

[Korus]

For some people, yes, for others no... Depends on how much correction needs to be done.

And Combat Medic is correct, if you‘re blind without glasses, you become a liability if you lose them in the field.

I myself am thinking of getting the surgery, but probably not for a few more years until my eyes settle.. (They seem to have already, but I figure I‘ll wait..)

 

[MethylSilane]

If you know your perscription (cylinder and sphere), you can apply this formula --

(cylinder/2)+sphere

--if the result you get is less than 7.00, you‘ll be fine.

 

[Duncan2002]

I have been considering joining the Infantry for many years now and going career as a sniper. The problem is, I have a defect in my left eyes which causes things to the left of the center of the vision in that eye, to disappear. That may seem confusing to you, but let me put it into perspective. If I were looking at the bridge of your nose from about 10 metres away, your right eye, doesn‘t exist. Is this a problem? :sniper:

 

[Korus]

I beleive it would be, as far as I know you need perfect vision to be a sniper..

 

[Duncan2002]

Damn.... thanks anyway. :crybaby: :sniper: