Vision Disqualifier??

[jay-law]

Any opinions on this?

During my job hunt, I have noticed that some state/local departments automatically disqualify you if you do not meet an uncorrected vision requirement. An applicant can be corrected to 20/20 with glasses or even better, contacts, but will be disqualified based on the uncorrected vision requirement. I guess the logic is that an officer cannot be concerned with vision during a scuffle, or a high speed pursuit, or God-forbid if he/she has to discharge their weapon. Yet, we send our soldiers into Iraq with glasses and contacts where they will inevitably engage an enemy or scuffle with an enemy. I used to play football wearing contacts and I scuffled with "the enemy" during every game and my vision was never compromised. I currently wrestle where my head is grabbed and I take a pounding and my vision is not compromised. I hoping someone can convince me that the vision requirement IS a good policy so I can stop dwelling over it. Aren't we denying potentially excellent candidates from applying due to that policy?

[Mtclem4]

Its a s$#%ty rule, I know but you definetely need to have 20/20 vision. What I recommend if you can afford it, and it is gnawing at you so much is Lasik. I just had it, I am currently in LE but thinking about DEA, so I did it. It was the best thing I ever did. If you can do it , do it! Its not cheap but if thats what you feel you gotta do, i wouldn't look past it.

[lsmalibu]

You do not "definitely need" 20/20 vision. You definitely need to be correctable to 20/20 vision, but most departments around here require at least 20/80 uncorrected, some allow up to 20/200 uncorrected. Fortunately for me, there are many depts that allow uncorrected vision unlimited as long as you wear soft contact lenses and are correctable to 20/20. I'm 20/20 with glasses or contacts and somewhere around 20/250 without, and have found only 3 or 4 agencies that won't take me because of my vision.

Of course, I do plan on getting Lasik in the future, wearing contacts or glasses sucks.

[L-1]

jay-law,

You will find a pretty good analysis of the issues at:

http://www.post.ca.gov/selection/pdf/Vision.pdf

[Brandon]

My vision is somewhere around 20/300-400 uncorrected, so I'm well beyond the cutoff for any department that has a vision requirement.

I'm doing Lasik surgery over Christmas break to fix this issue... hopefully it all goes well. I'm a little nervous about it, but I think it'll work out well.

-B.

[jay-law]

Good luck Brandon. I hear Lasik really helps....expensive, but necessary in the LE industry. Not to worry you however, L-1 sent a link regarding the debate over the uncorrected vision requirement. In it, there has been discussion over the why some departments will disqualify you if you've had corrective surgery. The logic they give is SO outdated and unsupported by research. If you plan on applying for LE positions, make sure you check out their specific policies.