MET Police Eyesight Requirement

[RedAndWhiteScarf]

I'm looking to pursue a career with MET police. The trouble I am having is that I am partially sighted. I have full vision in one eye when I wear glasses but I have near to no vision in the other due to a condition called Glaucoma. During initial checks for reasonable adjustments, a medical consultant simply requested additional time/minor things. The organisation handling medical for MET confirmed that they have in the past accepted people with monocular vision.

Looking at this, there is no mention of monocular vision: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0072019-eyesight-standards-police-recruitment/determinations-of-the-secretary-of-state-under-the-police-regulations-2003

Looking at this, it seems a possibility to become an officer despite monocular vision as technically a person could see well with one eye to meet the standard: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/force-content/met/careers/careers/876-264-fit-for-the-job.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjM2ZiauM6GAxX6XUEAHW2TEy0QFnoECA0QBg&usg=AOvVaw1MrQRMRGRTwaz7OjURUl0b

And then this suggests people with monocular vision may also be considered although no mention of Glaucoma: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/foi-media/metropolitan-police/policies/eyesight-standards---standard-operating-procedure&ved=2ahUKEwjM2ZiauM6GAxX6XUEAHW2TEy0QFnoECCYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw26YiVlxKPzzgUKeFZi5nrA

Are you applying to be a police officer, or ancillary?
the current standard for officers is at least 6/6 with both eyes together with your glasses on. 6/12 in each eye separately with your glasses on and 6/36 with both eyes together without your glasses on.

Police officer. It's incredibly difficult to find out how assessment works for a person with monocular vision I.e are they immediately rejected or will only sight in one eye be considered. Take for example driving and the DVLA, they make it clear that monocular vision does not stop someone from driving if they eye is strong.

You will be rejected, I'm afraid. Eyesight standards are pretty much non-negotiable in the police.

I am more than willing to be proved wrong, of course!

I agree with PP, I'm sorry to say.

If you are registered as partially sighted, you will not meet those requirements.

To add: you won't find a specific 'monocular' requirement, because they are based on binocular vision regardless of if both eyes actually work.

If you meet the standard based on visual acuity, the likely good is that you would fail based on your visual field (again, assuming that you are registered as partially sighted).

Why is it an option to seek reasonable adjustments from a medical consultant for vision impairment?

And so if binocularly a person sees perfectly (with that one eye), what's wrong?

The visual field matter - does it apply to both eyes or one eye? Because that one good eye would have perfect visual field (considering the horizontal/vertical degrees).

So are you registered as partially sighted, or do you just not have vision in one eye? They are not the same thing.

If you are registered as partially sighted, you will not meet the requirements. And that is not something that they will budge on. If you just have no vision in one eye, can see very well in that eye (and have no issues with the visual field in the working eye) then you may pass.

What do you mean by being registered as partially sighted? I mean a case of one eye simply not being functional - an eye so poor that it could not be used on its own to navigate. That counts as being partially sighted, no? What has this got to do with being registered or not?

Being registered as partially sighted means that the vision and/or visual field is below a certain threshold, meeting the criteria to be registered as such by a consultant ophthalmologist.

If that's not the case, there is chance you would pass (if the glaucoma has not affected the field of view in your good eye) :)

And what is that threshold? Yes, I'm talking about a case of Glaucoma affecting only one eye. If by threshold you mean at least a single eye suffering from visual field issue then I would clearly have that issue as I do not see properly with at least one eye.

I am in a similar boat to you vision wise OP, left eye is good, short sighted but good. Right eye is just there to look pretty, it doesn't do much if anything.

With both eyes open and my glasses on I can see well enough to drive and to not be registered as partially sighted. My VA in my bad eye with glasses on is 6/42, but my good eye makes up for it.

To be registered as partially sighted you need to meet a specific set of criteria: www.rnib.org.uk/your-eyes/navigating-sight-loss/registering-as-sight-impaired/the-criteria-for-certification/

To be certified as sight impaired (partially sighted) your sight must fall into one of the following categories, while wearing any glasses or contact lenses that you may need:
• Visual acuity of 3 / 60 to 6 / 60 with a full field of vision.
• Visual acuity of between 6 / 60 and 6 / 24 with a moderate reduction of field of vision, cloudiness in parts of your eye, or your lens has been removed and not replaced with a lens implant
• Visual acuity of 6 / 18 or even better if a large part of your field of vision, for example a whole half of your vision, is missing or a lot of your peripheral vision is missing.

Based on the definition given of police requirements provided by PP above it looks like you will not meet them.

I have not seen the form for the Met police, so I do not know what their requirements are- City of London requires 120° field of view horizontally by 100° vertically, I would imagine it's similar.

I see PP has posted the criteria for registration. Without having all of the info it's really impossible to say whether you'd meet that or not (which is why I wanted to clarify if you were registered or not- often people confuse being blind or partially sighted with being visually impaired (you can be visually impaired without being blind/PS but not vice versa).

My understanding is that vision impairment includes a person having to wear glasses or other means of correction. I require correction for my good eye. Given the poor eye suffers from glaucoma I don't know a better phrase to use than partially sighted - it's vision loss that's permanent and not corrected by traditional means. I guess it really does require an in person assessment. It's just frustrating that there is no clear information to address individuals with monocular vision - to rule them out or not.

Partially sighted has a specific medical definition. It’s not just a phrase you can decide to use because of one eye not working.

The eyesight requirements are the same for all police forces. You have to have 6/12 with each eye individually with your glasses on to pass the eyesight requirement. People who have no sight in one eye would not pass.

Sorry OP.

https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/c/careers/police-officer-roles/police-constable/overview/who-are-we-looking-for/

30 years ago you couldn't be a police officer if you were colour blind so it really doesn't surprise that there are non negotiable's now.