Visual acuity, help!

richyfingers · 27 Jun 2006 at 16:34

I am applying for the police soon and I was wondering if anyone had any idea how to work out your visual acuity. I got the following information from the Strathclyde police website

Visual Acuity Form
If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you are required to have a Visual Acuity Form completed by your optician. The completed form must be returned with your application.
The eyesight requirements for the Force have recently changed:

Uncorrected visual acuity: 6/36 (or better) in each eye.

Corrected visual acuity: 6/12 (or better) in each eye.

Binocular vision (+/- correction) : 6/6 (or better).

Near vision (+/- correction) : N9 (or better).

I wear contacts most of the time when I’m out or driving and the pwr on the left is -1.50 and the right is -1.25 but I don’t understand how these numbers relate to the 6/36, anyone got any ideas?

I’m considering saving up for corrective surgery on them if it proves to be an issue which i think it might.

LostCorpse · 27 Jun 2006 at 16:41

Might be worth droping in to your local Options, or on your next checkup and ask some questions. Other than that i cant help. Emo

Von Smallhausen · 27 Jun 2006 at 16:47

I had corrective surgery about 8 years ago and it is worth it.

Most forces accept people who have had it done but see if your unaided vision meets the criteria first.

I would pop into your local optician to find out more, he will soon put you on the right track. I am not sure if the vision requirements differ from force to force or are part of a Home Office / Scottish Office general requirement.

Pebbles · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:00

Von Smallhausen said:
I had corrective surgery about 8 years ago and it is worth it.

Most forces accept people who have had it done but see if your unaided vision meets the criteria first.

But surely Mr Von Smallhausen sir...that means you must be......but......surely not! :eek:

Von Smallhausen · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:02

Pebbles said:
But surely Mr Von Smallhausen sir...that means you must be......but......surely not!

Yes .... it's true.

I work in a biscuit factory.

Pebbles · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:03

Von Smallhausen said:
Yes .... it's true.

I work in a biscuit factory.

You told me you were James Bond

rmuir · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:03

im planning on applying for the same force soon!!!

you can print off the V.A form from the Strath Police web site, then get an appointment with boots/optician and they will do the rest for ya.

LostCorpse · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:04

Von Smallhausen said:
I had corrective surgery about 8 years ago and it is worth it.QUOTE]

which version of corrective surgory did you have? Lazer or grinding? if you dont mind me asking.

richyfingers · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:06

Yea I have the form from the site, just managed to get an appointment at the opticians for tomorrow so here is hoping my eyes are up to scratch :cool:

Von Smallhausen · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:08

Emo_hug said:
Von Smallhausen said:

I had corrective surgery about 8 years ago and it is worth it.QUOTE]

which version of corrective surgory did you have? Lazer or grinding? if you dont mind me asking.

Click to expand...

I had it when it was PRK. The technology had changes since then.

It was laser and the protectice layer over the cornea was removed by laser before the treatment. I was on steroid drops for about 2-3 months afterwards which doesn't happen now. This stopped scar tissue forming as the lasers weren't as accurate as they are now.

LostCorpse · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:14

Von Smallhausen said:
I had it when it was PRK. The technology had changes since then.

I see. I understand that the Mility is considering/are grinding the Lense to keep pilots for longer in the air, as they feel that laser treatments weaken the eyes and they were concerned with the effects of combat. Tis why i was asking.

fatiain · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:21

Pebbles said:
You told me you were James Bond

He is, James Bond of Nabisco.

Von Smallhausen · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:23

Pebbles said:
You told me you were James Bond

I didn't, I merely whispered Miss Moneypenny in your ear.

You then shouted ... ' Ooh, Commander Bond. '

Pebbles · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:29

Von Smallhausen said:
I didn't, I merely whispered Miss Moneypenny in your ear.

You then shouted ... ' Ooh, Commander Bond. '

You must be thinking of someone else

Von Smallhausen · 27 Jun 2006 at 17:33

Pebbles said:
You must be thinking of someone else

Aha.

I lose count you see.

Amp34 · 27 Jun 2006 at 23:26

Best bet is to go to the opticians but i can tell you what some of the things mean after much research last week for similar circumstances.

The 6/36 is to do with how well you can see at distance (same as 20/20 but metric). Normal vision is 6/6, or 20/20 (meaning you can see a size 6 print at 6 metres, this is usually the second line from the bottom on the letter chart) perfect being 6/4 (meaning you can see size 4 print (smaller) at 6 metres), so the smaller the second number the better.

I found this link really helpful when i was looking, it a little long winded but it has all the information you'll need.

Im not sure how that corresponds to your contact prescription though as usually the optician works out a SPH and a CYL number fo both your eyes and you only seem to have one which i assume is the prescription for your contacts not one of the figures.

I hope this has sort of helped and hasnt confused you even more.

richyfingers · 28 Jun 2006 at 00:40

Cheers Amp34, that made more sense than anything else I had read about before. I will ask the optician tomorrow what it all the differant thingymajigs are

matthew_o50 · 28 Jun 2006 at 00:55

6/36 refers to the line on the eye chart that you can see and the distance at which you stand from it i.e. from standing 6 meters from the chart you can see the 2nd line without having your vision corrected. This basically means that a person with normal vision would be able to see the same line on the chart from 36 meters away. This is the standard my vision is with being corrected by -20.00 and -19.50 contact's thus making me severely visually impaired.

Your prescription sounds very small so I suspect you'd be fine with this. If you have normal vision when wearing your contacts then you would have 6/6. If your eyesight is not so good the next line above that would be 6/12. It usually says on your prescription.