Is It Acceptable To Be Sworn In As A Police Officer In A Force If You Wear Corrective Lenses?
I am aspiring to join the Police Department in a couple years, however my issue is that I wear Corrective contact lenses. While wearing these lenses my vision is absolutely perfect, but without them i see quite blurry. Would this be a problem? I really dont want to get Lasik/Lasek but im keeping that an option. Any current sworn officers have any advice on this matter before I take the police exam?
Vision requirements for police officer candidates vary, sometimes greatly, depending on the department. Some police departments require candidates to have very good uncorrected vision. Some police departments are primarily concerned with your corrected vision being at least 20/20. Two examples are below. Visit the website of the police departments that you are interested in. The websites will often contain the department’s vision requirements.
The Los Angeles Police Department requires candidates to have at least 20/30 in each eye with the following exceptions. If glasses are worn, vision must be at least 20/30 in each eye while wearing the glasses and uncorrected distance vision must not exceed 20/70 in either eye and the better eye must be at least 20/40. If soft contact lenses are worn, they must have been worn for at least three months and vision must be at least 20/30 in each eye tested with the contacts in. If a LASIK procedure (refractive surgery) was performed, vision must be at least 20/30 in each eye.
The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia requires candidates to have at least 20/100 vision, correctable to 20/30 in both eyes.
You do not have to have perfect vision to be a police officer. Good luck!
Check out http://www.peaceofficerjobs.com for excellent information and advice about becoming a police officer.
Many enlightened departments now list a requirement that your vision meets a certain level with correction.
Check with the departments in your area, and don’t be in too much of a hurry to go under the knife. It’s interesting to note that 60 years ago only a small percentage of citizens needed corrective eyewear, now how many of your friends wear glasses or contacts? Many, right?
Hope so. I had contacts for years before I did the laser thing.
Normally there’s a sight requirement that says you have to have X vision without correction (meaning you have to see well enough without correction like glasses or contacts).
It must be. I’ve also seen officers with glasses, some young, and I doubt their eyes went bad after joining the force.
I know I’ve seen plenty of cops with glasses.