Laser eye surgery from ADVANCE VISIONCARE
Special price for the Emergency Services
Advance VisionCare would like to offer members of the Emergency Services and NHS nurses a special price - save £400 off the normal cost of the surgery (Bilateral treatment only. Discount £200 if only one eye treated).
If your job title is below then you should qualify:
We have treated many patients who want to join the emergency service or armed forces and are often unsure about the recruitment policy. If you are unsure, please check before proceeding.
To discuss your prescription with a member of the clinical team, call 0800 652 4878.
Below is the latest information on the standard of vision required.
Police Service
Eye Surgery - Radial Keratotomy, Arcuate Keratotomy or corneal grafts are not acceptable. Other forms of refractive surgery such as LASIK, LASEK, PRK, ICRS, epiflap are all acceptable provided that six [weeks] have elapsed since surgery, there are no residual side effects and the other eyesight standards are met.
Distance Vision - 6/12 or better with either your right or left eye 6/6 with both eyes together
If you wear spectacles or contact lenses you also need to reach 6/36 without your spectacles or lenses
Near Vision - N6 at 40cm with both eyes together (aided)
You will have your eyes tested as part of your medical assessment. Often you will be required to go to an optician to have your eyes tested and a have a form completed prior to application.
Unaided vision - (i.e. vision without glasses or contact lenses) must be at least 6/36 in either eye. If your vision with both eyes together does not achieve 6/6, you will be required to wear contact lenses or glasses in order to correct it to this level.
Corrected vision - (i.e. vision wearing glasses or contact lenses) must be at least 6/12 in either eye, and 6/6 with both eyes together.
Near Vision You will be required to read N6 at 40cm with both eyes together (glasses may be used). Glasses may be used. 'N6' is about the size of newsprint. For more information, either contact your local force or visit their main website at www.policecouldyou.co.uk
Fire Service
Fire Service requirements vary between brigades. You are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate brigade before you apply. The Home Office states that applicants to the whole-time service must fulfil the following requirements; you must:
- Satisfy a qualified ophthalmologist (eye doctor) or optometrist that you are fit to undertake fire-fighting duties, and that there is no abnormality or any disease that is likely to affect visual function, temporarily or permanently, so as to incapacitate the individual in carrying out the range of operational duties;
- Have unaided binocular vision (i.e. vision without glasses or contact lenses, using both eyes together) of 6/6;
- Have unaided vision of at least 6/60, in each eye;
- Be able to read N12 (roughly equivalent to large newsprint) at 30cm with each eye individually.
What do the Fire Service say about applying after laser surgery?
The eyesight requirements to gain entry to the Fire Service require applicants to have excellent vision in both eyes without spectacles or contact lenses. Some brigades make allowances for those who have had laser correction. You will, in most cases, have to wait 2 years after having laser eye treatment before being able to apply.
For more information, please contact your local brigade or visit their main website at www.fireservice.co.uk
Nurse
There are no rules regarding laser eye correction.
Paramedic
There are no rules regarding laser eye correction.
Civil Aviation Authority
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) does not recommend refractive surgery if the visual standards required for certification are to be met. However, the following is stipulated:
- Post LASIK - you are considered 'temporarily unfit' for 3 months
- All other techniques, including LASEK, mean you will be considered 'temporarily unfit' for a year after your surgery.
- You must not suffer from glare
On making a formal application, you will require a written report from the surgeon that carried out the procedure. This will include your prescription before and after surgery, as well as any complications. Additionally, an ocular specialist will assess you as part of your medical. Mr Pillai will be able to provide the written report.
The CAA states that your prescription prior to surgery must not be greater than +/-5.00D for Class 1 and must fall between +5.00D and -8.00D for Class 2 certification.
For more information, please refer to the CAA's website at www.caa.co.uk
Armed Forces
Although the US Military actively encourages its troops and other service personnel to have LASIK laser eye treatment for short sight, long sight and astigmatism, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has yet to adopt the same approach.
The MoD is currently reviewing its policy on laser eye surgery.
Laser eye surgery is not approved for personnel in certain specialist employment groups such as aviation, diving, airborne forces or marines. For all personnel, either serving or potential recruits, the maximum pre-correction refractive error that is allowable to be corrected is +/- 6 dioptres. Personnel who are currently serving, and choose to undergo laser eye surgery, are obliged to disclose it to their medical officer and, on their return to work, they are temporarily medically downgraded for a period of 12 months. Before being declared medically fit, they are seen by a Service consultant ophthalmologist who confirms that the individual is suffering from no significant visual side effects secondary to the surgery, and that the eye is stable.
When contemplating this procedure, personnel are advised that failure to meet eyesight standards following the operation may result in permanent medical downgrading.
Any potential recruit who has disclosed that they have had laser eye surgery must be referred for a comprehensive ophthalmic examination by a Service approved consultant ophthalmic surgeon who will make a recommendation on suitability for entry. This must include specialist visual function testing.
They must also show documentary evidence that:
- The pre-correction error was no more than +/- 6 dioptres
- The best spectacle corrected visual acuity is 6/6 or better in the right eye, and 6/12 or better in the left eye
- At least 12 months have elapsed since they had the treatment
- There has been no significant visual side effects secondary to the surgery affecting daily activities and refraction is stable, as defined by two refractions performed on each eye at least six months apart, with no more than a 0.50 dioptre difference in the spherical equivalent in each eye.
