Eyesight clarification and questions - Esp. RN

I've been looking at various jobs in the armed forces but I don't think I'm going to meet the eyesight requirements for most of them.

http://www.assoc-optometrists.org/uploaded_files/pdf/04-navy.pdf

I'm having an eyesight test in a few weeks but I was just wondering, what level are most people who are shortsighted? Is class III basically that you have to have glasses to get by at all? When other people try on my glasses they say that they aren't very strong, but when I take them off I think that it may not be good enough. I know you'll say "go and talk to an AFCO" but this seems a bit pointless since I almost certainly won't be joining for over 4 years.

Also, in that chart what is a GL/SS Royal Marine officer as opposed to a Bridge Watchkeeper?

And why on earth do you need better eyesight for a job such as Warfare Officer on a submarine than a royal marine?

Reply 1

BaconDude

I wouldn't worry if you're not joining for 4 years. High chances you'll have a change of mind, even if you go back to the original plan.

I was set on Royal Navy from ages about 10-13, then changed to law in America from about 13/14-16, and now I'm set on the Royal Marines at 17 and I'm training my back side off.

But all you can do really is wait for the eye test results and have a look. A lot of it is case-by-case so you may get in regardless.

Reply 2

Jaidus

I have an astigmatism in my right eye and can't see 3d with the 3d glasses on.

I think as long as your correct vision is alright and you can see colours to a normal standard you should be fine. But it's best to get an eye test done anyway, even if your not joining for 4 years - if you have one once a year for the next four years they will be able to track any developments in your eyes, giving a better outlook on whether you'll have problems later.

As for sight being better on a submarine - it's simple, you'll spend long periods infront of monitor or in enclosed spaces which can damage your eyes after a while (similar to those working on computers for long periods)

A marine officer will be outside, looking at both foreground and distance constantly.

All in the eye muscles, if your eyes are 'damaged' when you go in being constantly bombarded by short distance items will lock them in that and you'll lose your long distance perception.

Reply 3

Mithra

OP

2

Cheers guys, I guess I'm just gonna have to see what the eye test says before thinking any more :redface:

. As you say BaconDude I'm sure what I want to do will change many many times before I apply to who knows :awesome:

.

Jaidus

As for sight being better on a submarine - it's simple, you'll spend long periods infront of monitor or in enclosed spaces which can damage your eyes after a while (similar to those working on computers for long periods)

A marine officer will be outside, looking at both foreground and distance constantly.

All in the eye muscles, if your eyes are 'damaged' when you go in being constantly bombarded by short distance items will lock them in that and you'll lose your long distance perception.

Aha, that makes sense :yep:

.

Reply 4

InArduisFouette

21

warfare officer on a sub - you will need to be able to see to navigate whjen on the surface .....

Reply 5

Mithra

OP

2

zippyRN

warfare officer on a sub - you will need to be able to see to navigate whjen on the surface .....

You are allowed to wear glasses you know :tongue:

.

Reply 6

Wzz

11

Jaidus

As for sight being better on a submarine - it's simple, you'll spend long periods infront of monitor or in enclosed spaces which can damage your eyes after a while (similar to those working on computers for long periods)

A marine officer will be outside, looking at both foreground and distance constantly.

All in the eye muscles, if your eyes are 'damaged' when you go in being constantly bombarded by short distance items will lock them in that and you'll lose your long distance perception.

... or more likely, it's not easy to post a new pair of glasses to you when you're on a 4-month stint underwater, while even in deepest darkest Helmand they'd be able to get a set to you if you were a marine.

Otherwise, by your reckoning, air traffickers and fighter controllers and their ilk, spending hours staring at monitors, would need better eyesight than pilots?

Reply 7

Jammydodger001

lol ... i had an eyesight and coulor blindness test a while ago

I wear glasses for the telly and such and i have good enough eyes to be a pilot

also watch out for blank ones in the Colour Blindness test cause i was like **** im colour blind and my optician was like ha! its blank

NOTE: ROYAL NAVY USES DOLAND AND ATCHISON FOR EYE TESTS :tongue:

Reply 8

Mithra

OP

2

Jammydodger001

lol ... i had an eyesight and coulor blindness test a while ago

I wear glasses for the telly and such and i have good enough eyes to be a pilot

also watch out for blank ones in the Colour Blindness test cause i was like **** im colour blind and my optician was like ha! its blank

NOTE: ROYAL NAVY USES DOLAND AND ATCHISON FOR EYE TESTS :tongue:

But D&A suck :zomg:

. Our local one doesn't even have a 'scrolling' letter board thing, just a poster blu-tacked onto a silver box :biggrin:

.

Good to know that even a pilot can have to wear glasses at points :wink:

.

Reply 9

Indievertigo

15

How is your eyesight in any case?

6/60 (class 3) is basically being able to see the top letter on the snellen chart (that "poster blu-tacked...") without glasses. If you can't see that, then you won't get in. But if other people don't find your glasses "that strong", I doubt your vision is that bad, and would guess you're perhaps in class 2 or above.

There are other things taken into account obviously, colour vision being important, 3d vision (not so, for most jobs) etc.

But don't get too worried.

Reply 10

djmm

15

Jammydodger001

lol ... i had an eyesight and coulor blindness test a while ago

I wear glasses for the telly and such and i have good enough eyes to be a pilot

also watch out for blank ones in the Colour Blindness test cause i was like **** im colour blind and my optician was like ha! its blank

NOTE: ROYAL NAVY USES DOLAND AND ATCHISON FOR EYE TESTS :tongue:

If your CP (or intelligence) was good enough you'd have noticed without him having to say.

If your eyesight is good enough for pilot then you certainly shouldn't need to wear glasses for TV - doing such is detrimental to your eyesight in the long run.

D&A are fine, for what you need from them - it's only an examination of the condition of your eyes: they're either good enough or not (they don't make the standards up, the RN do).

-djmm

Reply 11

Jammydodger001

If your eyesight is good enough for pilot then you certainly shouldn't need to wear glasses for TV - doing such is detrimental to your eyesight in the long run.

Where you got this from im not sure but, I do require glasses to say read the channels on Sky Menu yet I passed a Pilots Test.

I say this only to encourage people who wear glasses to still apply for jobs like a pilot.
I also say this to disprove the myth that Pilots need 20/20 (6/6) Vision

Reply 12

Indievertigo

15

Jammydodger001

Where you got this from im not sure but, I do require glasses to say read the channels on Sky Menu yet I passed a Pilots Test.

I say this only to encourage people who wear glasses to still apply for jobs like a pilot.
I also say this to disprove the myth that Pilots need 20/20 (6/6) Vision

With the FAA? Because AFAIK, RAF pilots do still need 20/20.

Reply 13

Jammydodger001

Indievertigo

With the FAA? Because AFAIK, RAF pilots do still need 20/20.

Yeah I can believe that. I was talking about Naval Aviators

Reply 14

djmm

15

Jammydodger001

Where you got this from im not sure but, I do require glasses to say read the channels on Sky Menu yet I passed a Pilots Test.

I say this only to encourage people who wear glasses to still apply for jobs like a pilot.
I also say this to disprove the myth that Pilots need 20/20 (6/6) Vision

Are you sure?

I got this from knowing exactly what you require to wrt. eyesight requirements for the RN and RAF.

I have a feeling you might be getting slightly confused - as you might very well have sat "a pilots test" for civv-pops, which do indeed allow people to enter courses (at their own expense, bearing in mind) so long as their eyes are correctable to 20/20.

Reply 15

djmm

15

Jammydodger001

Yeah I can believe that. I was talking about Naval Aviators

Like the ones in TOPGUN? They're called pilots.

Just so you know, so when you go arguing with someone else - the eyesight is no less for pilot in the RN than for RAF, and this comes to you from me - IN THE FAA, funny that...

Roger, recieved, over and out.

-djmm.

Reply 16

Theo1977

8

Jammydodger001