eyesight why so strict?

Fuinseog

why they so strict aout vision. its not full time employment and people with glasses should be able to do the work.
i wear lenses and would probably not qualify.

Shield

While it's not full-time employment, you may be called to give evidence as a member of the Garda Reserve. There can be no ambiguity in your version of events, so your eyesight has to meet the standard set out in the required vision standard.

da__flash

Fuinseog wrote: »

why they so strict about vision.

if you cant see how you supposed to catch anyone;):p:cool:

crazyderk

I wear glasses/contacts and just went through the medical for the Garda reserve my left eye wasnt strong enough without the glasses so she allowed me to retest with the glasses on so and I passed after that! she also mentioned that if i was do redo the medical for the regular Garda to bring my glasses with me then!

halfback5

crazyderk wrote: »

I wear glasses/contacts and just went through the medical for the Garda reserve my left eye wasnt strong enough without the glasses so she allowed me to retest with the glasses on so and I passed after that! she also mentioned that if i was do redo the medical for the regular Garda to bring my glasses with me then!

may i ask how bad your eyesight is?

crazyderk

halfback5 wrote: »

may i ask how bad your eyesight is?

My left eye is the weakest and it also has a astigmatism in it and I think my contact lens is -1.50

My right eye passed the test (barely) and it is -1.25 for contacts

not to sure about all the other figures!

Fuinseog

halfback5 wrote: »

may i ask how bad your eyesight is?

I am minus 4, but I often wear contacts. i notice some of the older guards wear glasses.

i think part of the reason for the strictness is related to the unpleasantness with PDF and hearing prolems.

sdanseo

psni wrote: »

While it's not full-time employment, you may be called to give evidence as a member of the Garda Reserve. There can be no ambiguity in your version of events, so your eyesight has to meet the standard set out in the required vision standard.

What an absolutely ridiculous reason, if true. I can see a reg plate clearly at 50m when my vision is corrected with glasses or lenses.

I can understand banning glasses - they can be lost, broken, even blind you if shattered etc...and you could be stumbling around nearly blind while criminals have their way. Contacts don't come with that disadvantage and rarely fall out, etc.

Shield

I'm afraid it is true, but don't shoot the messenger! They have to have a standard and I'm sure there were focus groups and committees convened to decide what that standard should be. I'm sure you'll agree that there has to be a cut-off point somewhere?

sdonn wrote: »

What an absolutely ridiculous reason, if true. I can see a reg plate clearly at 50m when my vision is corrected with glasses or lenses.

I can understand banning glasses - they can be lost, broken, even blind you if shattered etc...and you could be stumbling around nearly blind while criminals have their way. Contacts don't come with that disadvantage and rarely fall out, etc.

sdanseo

psni wrote: »

I'm afraid it is true, but don't shoot the messenger! They have to have a standard and I'm sure there were focus groups and committees convened to decide what that standard should be. I'm sure you'll agree that there has to be a cut-off point somewhere?

Take the CHP in the states - just as an example. They have something like the same standard as here, (6/9, 6/12 uncorrected for AGS). But if you've been wearing contacts regularly for a year or more with no problems, and your vision is 20/20 corrected, you can fail the uncorrected standard hands down but be passed fit.

I think the cutoff would be if you were completely blind lest something happen to your lenses. I can still function without my glasses; yet I fail most european police standards based on the 0.01% chance that they'll fall out on duty - and that can be easily fixed by carrying spares.

I'm not bitter, I accept the standard and am considering laser treatment now.

Fuinseog

sdonn wrote: »

What an absolutely ridiculous reason, if true. I can see a reg plate clearly at 50m when my vision is corrected with glasses or lenses.

I can understand banning glasses - they can be lost, broken, even blind you if shattered etc...and you could be stumbling around nearly blind while criminals have their way. Contacts don't come with that disadvantage and rarely fall out, etc.

hear hear. i thinkk part of the reason for the strictness is our compensation culture started by the military.

this is the garda reserve we are talking about,not some elite unit. the duties thez perform are limited.
they are shooting themselves in the foot as there are plenty of people who know the community quite well, either through their day jobs or social background, yet because these people do not have perfect eyesight they are excluded.

starman08

psni wrote: »

I'm afraid it is true, but don't shoot the messenger! They have to have a standard and I'm sure there were focus groups and committees convened to decide what that standard should be. I'm sure you'll agree that there has to be a cut-off point somewhere?

i got in with -2 eyesight the doctor told me that i was just the minimum for the reserves but that if i wanted to be a full time garda i would need to get lazer eye

sdanseo

starman08 wrote: »

i got in with -2 eyesight the doctor told me that i was just the minimum for the reserves but that if i wanted to be a full time garda i would need to get lazer eye

Wow, talk about double standards. I'm only -3 and that's 6/60 - a sixth of what's required. Looks like you might have got very lucky!

starman08

sdonn wrote: »

Wow, talk about double standards. I'm only -3 and that's 6/60 - a sixth of what's required. Looks like you might have got very lucky!

hmm maybe i was better than -2 so.. i defo needed glasses for driving licence,.. i have since got the laser eye surgery,, you should think about it. i have voucher for 300 euro off at optical express if your interested i can try locate it and post it out to ya

barbarians

crazyderk wrote: »

My left eye is the weakest and it also has a astigmatism in it and I think my contact lens is -1.50

My right eye passed the test (barely) and it is -1.25 for contacts

not to sure about all the other figures!

"I'm bolloxed so" - <Mod Edit:> inappropriate language

minus 4.25 and minus 4.50

Garda was only a back up future career anyway so...