Police
Vision requirements vary depending upon the corrective measures utilized.
In all cases, you need to have binocular vision (vision in both eyes), normal visual fields, normal binocular fusion, and freedom from other visual conditions that would interfere with your ability to perform the full range of duties of a Police Officer with the San Diego Police Department.
In all cases, you need an acceptable level of color vision. This is determined at the time of the medical examination given by the City using standardized color vision tests.
If you wear eyeglasses or hard* (non-orthokeratology) contact lenses, your uncorrected vision may be no worse than 20/70 both eyes together. Uncorrected vision worse than 20/20 but not worse than 20/70 must be corrected to 20/20 both eyes together.
* "Hard" contact lenses also include semi-soft, semi-rigid, semi-permeable, gas permeable, and similar lenses.
If you wear soft contact lenses and your vision is corrected to 20/20 both eyes together, there is no minimum uncorrected visual acuity requirement. To qualify under this provision, the following is required:
If you have undergone orthokeratology and wear orthokeratology lenses and your vision is corrected to 20/20 both eyes together, there is no minimum uncorrected visual acuity requirement. To qualify under this provision, the following is required:
Candidates who wear orthokeratology lenses are encouraged to change to soft contact lenses.
If you have undergone radial keratotomy or a similar procedure you must wait one year following your last surgery or "touch up" surgery or procedure before you would be medically considered for a Police Recruit or Police Officer position. Your vision must be 20/20 both eyes together. If it is not, it must be corrected to 20/20 both eyes together in accordance with the requirements above.
You must be free of significant vision problems such as impaired vision at night or under dim lighting conditions, sensitivity to glare, starbursts experience around light sources such as street lights or headlights, progressive regression of visual acuity, daily changes in visual acuity, or other conditions.
You will be asked to submit the results of a recent eyes examination from your private ophthalmologist documenting the status of your vision. We will request this information from you following the medical examination given by the City.