Joining the service with bad eyes?

Question

How bad can your eyes be Joining the service? What about reserves? thank you greatly

Answer 1

there is a limit..I want to say no more than +/- 8.00 uncorrected.  

Answer 2

When I was at MEPS....they asked me how long I was without my seeing eye dog.  They took me.  

Answer 3

You cant be legally blind. That is about it. Once you get through boot the military will pay for laser eye surgery. I'm just joined the Marines and that's what they explained to my friend who joined also. What I don't know is if it applie to all jobs but it probably does.

Answer 4

It really depends on the job you want.

Answer 5

Here's the vision requirements. I presume that's what you meant.

Vision

The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are:

a. Distant visual acuity of any degree that does not correct with spectacle lenses to at least one of the following:

(1) 20/40 in one eye and 20/70 in the other eye.

(2) 20/30 in one eye and 20/100 in the other eye.

(3) 20/20 in one eye and 20/400 in the other eye. However, for entrance into USMA or ROTC, distant visual acuity that does not correct to 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other eye is disqualifying. For entrance into OCS, distant visual acuity that does not correct to 20/20 in one eye and 20/100 in the other eye is disqualifying.

b. Near visual acuity of any degree that does not correct to 20/40 in the better eye.

c. Refractive error (hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism), in any spherical equivalent of worse than -8.00 or +8.00 diopters; if ordinary spectacles cause discomfort by reason of ghost images or prismatic displacement; or if corrected by orthokeratology or keratorefractive surgery. However, for entrance into USMA or Army ROTC programs, the following conditions are disqualifying:

(1) Astigmatism, all types over 3 diopters.

(2) Hyperopia over 8.00 diopters spherical equivalent.

(3) Myopia over 8 diopters spherical equivalent.

(4) Refractive error corrected by orthokeratology or keratorefractive surgery.

d. Contact lenses. Complicated cases requiring contact lenses for adequate correction of vision, such as corneal scars and irregular astigmatism.

e. Color vision. Although there is no standard, color vision will be tested because adequate color vision is a prerequisite for entry into many military specialties. However, for entrance into the USMA or Army ROTC or OCS programs, the inability to distinguish and identify without confusion the color of an object, substance, material, or light that is uniformly colored a vivid red or vivid green is disqualifying.