Jack Wall
Question:147 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the eyesight requirements for persons entering the Naval Service; if corrective lenses are acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11918/00]
Written Answers. - Naval Service Recruitment.
The eyesight requirements for persons entering the Naval Service are as follows:
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Cadet,Executive Branch: |
Uncorrected vision of not less than 6/9 in one eye and not less than 6/12 in the other, with normal night and colour vision. |
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Cadet, EngineeringBranch: |
Not less than 6/18 in each eye, corrected to not less than 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other with normal colour vision. |
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General ServiceRecruit:(for service at sea) |
Vision uncorrected of not less than 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other with normal colour vision. |
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General ServiceRecruit*(administrativeduties)* |
Vision of not less than 6/36 in each eye and which can be corrected to not less than 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other eye, with normal colour vision. |
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Apprentice Recruit: |
Unaided vision of not less than 6/36 in both eyes corrected to 6/6 in the right eye and 6/12 in the left eye, with normal colour vision. |
*This particular category has not in fact been recruited for some years.
From time to time, occasional direct entry competitions may be held to recruit personnel with specialist qualifications for the Naval Service. The director of the Army Medical Corps advises on the eye sight requirements for such personnel. In some such cases, corrective lenses may be acceptable, depending on the nature of the appointment.
However, a person who has undergone surgical correction of visual acuity cannot be accepted for entry to the Naval Service. All entrants must be free from squint or latent squint and must be free from chronic ocular disease. In those cases where eyesight must meet the required standard without the aid of corrective lenses, I understand this criterion anticipates a situation where personnel would be, or might be likely to be, engaged in duties where sudden and unforeseen loss of lenses could occur in circumstances which would be crucially detrimental to performance, thereby endangering either that person, or others, or preventing the proper carrying out of duties.