ARmy Rumour SErvice

**Jonathan_Terry** · 04-04-2012, 17:43

Here are the definitive eyesight requirements for each arm from the Pulheems administrative pamphlet 2010, since I found it so hard to get hold of.

Here are the Snellen Scores as they are on the medical assessment:
6/6+ = 1
6/9 = 2
6/12 = 3
6/18 = 4
6/24 = 5
6/36 = 6
6/60 = 7
Can't read 6/60 = 8

The Pulheems assessment grades your eyes in the following way:
Right Eye Unaided, Left Eye Unaided
Right Eye Aided, Left Eye Aided

eg:if Right Unaided is 3, Left Unaided is 4, Right Aided is 2, Left Aided is 3 then the score reads:
E E
3 4
2 3

In the tables below the notation I am using for the same case is:
R 3/2, L 4/3

Here are the tables:

ON ENTRY & COMMISSION - OFFICER
Household Cavalry - R 8/2, L 8/6
RAC - R 8/2, L 8/6
RA - R 8/3, L 8/6
RE - R 8/3, L 8/6
R Signals - R 8/3, L 8/6
Foot Guards - R 8/3, L 8/6
Infantry (Including Para**) - R 8/3, L 8/6
UKSF* (a) Badged Ranks - R 3/1, L 3/1, (b) Attached Ranks - R 8/3, L 8/6
AAC (a) Pilots - R 3/1, L 3/1, (b) DE Ground Officer - R 7/2, L 7/3
RAChD - R 8/3, L 8/6
RLC - R 8/3, L 8/6
RAMC - R 8/3, L 8/6
REME - R 8/2, L 8/6

ON ENTRY - SOLDIER
Household Cavalry:
AFV Crewman/Mounted Duty Man - R 8/2, L 8/6

RAC:
AFV Crewman - R 8/2, L 8/6

RA:
All - R 7/2, L 7/3

RE:
ME (Heating & Plumbing) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Surveyor Engineering) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Draughtsman{all}) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Building & Structural Finisher) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Electrician) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Geographical Technician) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Construction Materials Technician) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Fitter General) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Air Con & Refrigeration) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (C3S) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Plant Operator Mechanic) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Driver) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Resources Specialist) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Armoured) - R 7/2, L 7/3
ME (Combat) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Bricklayer & Concreter) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Carpenter & Joiner) - R 8/3, L 8/6
ME (Fabricator) - R 8/3, L 8/6

R Signals:
Systems Engineer Technician - R 8/3, L 8/6
Installation Technician - R 8/3, L 8/6
Information Systems Engineer - R 8/3, L 8/6
Communication Systems Operator - R 7/2, L 7/3
EW Systems Operator - R 7/2, L 7/3
Driver Lineman - R 7/2, L 7/3
Technical Supply Specialist - R 7/2, L 7/3
Electrician - R 7/2, L 7/3

Foot Guards:
All - R 8/3, L 8/6

Infantry (Including Para**):
All - R 8/3, L 8/6

Brigade of Gurkhas:
All - R 8/3, L 8/6

UKSF*:
(a) Badged Ranks - R 3/1, L 3/1, (b) Attached Ranks - R 8/3, L 8/6

AAC:
(a) Pilots (no direct entry for OR pilots), (b) Soldier - R 3/1, L 3/1

RLC:
Air Dispatcher - R 5/2, L 5/2
Mariner - R 3/1, L 3/1
Marine Engineer - R 7/1, L 7/6
Port Operator - R 7/2, L 7/3
Driver - R 7/2, L 7/3
Driver (Comms Specialist) - R 7/2, L 7/3
Postal & Courier Operator - R 7/2, L 7/3
Logistic Specialist (Supply) - R 7/2, L 7/3
Movement Controller - R 7/2, L 7/3
Ammunition Technician - R 7/2, L 7/3
Petroleum Operator - R 7/2, L 7/3
Railway Operator - R 1/1, L 6/3
Pioneer - R 8/3, L 8/6
Chef - R 8/3, L 8/6

RAMC:
All - R 8/3, L 8/6

REME:
Vehicle Mechanic - R 7/2, L 7/3
Armourer - R 7/2, L 7/6
Metal Smith - R 7/2, L 7/6
Technician Electronics - R 7/2, L 7/6
Technician Aircraft - R 7/2, L 7/6
Technician Avionics- R 7/2, L 7/6
Shipwright - R 7/2, L 7/6
Technical Storeman - R 7/2, L 7/6
Recovery Mechanic - R 7/2, L 7/3

AGC:
RMP - R 8/3, L 8/6
MPS - R 8/3, L 8/6
MPGS - R 8/3, L 8/6
SPS - R 8/3, L 8/6

RAVC - R 8/3, L 8/6

SASC - R 8/3, L 8/6

RADC - R 8/3, L 8/6

INT CORPS - R 8/3, L 8/6

APTC - R 8/3, L 8/6

Locally Enlisted Personnel - R 8/3, L 8/6

QARANC:
Student Nurse - R 8/3, L 8/6
Qualified Nurse - R 8/3, L 8/6
Health Care Assistant - R 8/3, L 8/6

CAMUS - R 8/2, L 8/6

RLC/EFI - R 8/3, L 8/6

*Includes 22 SAS, SBS, SRR, 21/23 SAS(R), 18 (UKSF) Signals Regt.
**Includes SFSG

Hope that helps.

**drillpig69** · 05-04-2012, 13:48

Just looked at a copy of my prescription and on one of the tables it says...

Aided VA Dist
Right 6/5 Left 6/5

I understand none of this jibberish but hoping to go in the Infantry as an officer if all goes to plan, but from what I do understand I'm eligible? Tell me I'm correct?

**Jonathan_Terry** · 15-04-2012, 13:12

The optician gives you a score for UNAIDED, and also AIDED.
For the infantry as an officer you need minimum of:
Right 6/60 Unaided, Right 6/12 Aided - reads: R 8(unaided) / 3(aided) in the pam
Left 6/60 Unaided, Left 6/36 Aided - reads: L 8(unaided) / 6(aided) in the pam

You have a pam score of R 1(aided), L 1(aided)
I can only assume that with AIDED vision like that, that you have 6/60 or better in both eyes UNAIDED.

You are most certainly eligible for infantry officer and by the sounds of it are eligible for pretty much any job in the army.
That is perfect vision in both eyes as far as the army is concerned!

**Chatta** · 19-04-2012, 21:28

This is a great thread! According to that list then, what trades are the least strict on eyesight requirements? You see i have amblyopia ( lazy eye) , to make it worse i have it in my right eye. I can see out of it easily etc im not blind but it is poor. On the eye chart i can see the top big letter and the two underneath but not much more. Glasses and contacts can't correct it as its more to do with the brain. My left eye is perfect. Always wanted to join the army but i dont know what trades i can if any at all. Any suggestions?

**Jonathan_Terry** · 21-04-2012, 00:45

So I assume the vision in the opticians you are talking about is unaided (natural - no lenses), and by the sounds of it (don't quote me) you can see 6/36 in the Snellen chart at the opticians out of your right eye (this is assuming that you are doing a 6 metre Snellen chart at the opticians).

So this gives you a score of 6 Unaided in your right eye. If you can get your right eye corrected in any way to 6/12 then most of the above jobs, bar a few in the technical trades, should be available to you. I believe you must have vision correctable to 6/12 in the right eye for the army (for firing a rifle), but for a few jobs (maybe not listed above) like a Lawyer or another professionally qualified officer, you might not need such stringent requirements. It is always best to check with your local office.

So just referring to the tables above, you need R 8/3, L 8/6 for most jobs minimum (6/60+ unaided right & 6/12 aided right, 6/60+ unaided left & 6/36 aided left)
You have given me information that suggests you have R 6/?, L 1/1 (6/36 unaided right & 6/? aided right, 6/6 unaided left & 6/6 aided left) (Refer to the info at the start of my original post for detailed explanation of these scores, but basically lower numbers are better)

So you can see your left eye surpasses requirements.
If you can find out your exact measurements for your eyes unaided and aided, then I can give you a better answer!

It's a bit of a bugger, but the army has not yet adopted an ambidextrous rifle, so right handed firing is still a requirement for pretty much all jobs - soldier first, trade second. Definitely check with your careers office, as if your left eye is perfect they may be able to bend certain bars to find you a job (especially if you're enthusiastic).

**drillpig69** · 21-04-2012, 16:10

Originally Posted by Jonathan_Terry

The optician gives you a score for UNAIDED, and also AIDED.
For the infantry as an officer you need minimum of:
Right 6/60 Unaided, Right 6/12 Aided - reads: R 8(unaided) / 3(aided) in the pam
Left 6/60 Unaided, Left 6/36 Aided - reads: L 8(unaided) / 6(aided) in the pam

You have a pam score of R 1(aided), L 1(aided)
I can only assume that with AIDED vision like that, that you have 6/60 or better in both eyes UNAIDED.

You are most certainly eligible for infantry officer and by the sounds of it are eligible for pretty much any job in the army.
That is perfect vision in both eyes as far as the army is concerned!

Apologies for the late reply, and thank you very much (I just hope this is all still correct as that was a Novemberish 2011 copy!).