I'm looking into the Coast Guard Academy and was curious about the vision requirements. I've heard that some military academies have specific vision standards. Does anyone know what they are for the Coast Guard Academy?
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does have specific vision requirements for its cadets, considering that the nature of the work involved often requires excellent vision and depth perception. All candidates are required to pass a DoDMERB Medical Examination in order to be admitted.
The specific vision standards for the Coast Guard Academy are as follows:
- Uncorrected visual acuity should be no worse than 20/400 in each eye, correctable to 20/20 in each eye. This refers to your vision strength without wearing prescription glasses or contacts.
- Refractive error (which is corrected with glasses or contact lenses) must be
no greater than plus or minus 8.00 diopters in any meridian. This means that the prescription for your glasses or contact lenses must not be stronger than these specifications.
- For color vision, all applicants must pass a PseudoIsochromatic Plate (PIP) test.
However, waiver consideration may be possible for candidates with vision that falls outside of these parameters, especially if their vision can be corrected surgically. It will likely involve a case-by-case assessment.
It's important to discuss your specific circumstances with a medical professional or a representative from the academy. They will be able to give you the most accurate guidance based on the latest standards and your personal medical history.
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