Eyesight medical requirements Advice plz

[pop79]

Hi everyone I have a medical for a Trainee Train Driver in a couple of weeks but Iam worried about the eye test especially when they check the unaided vision. Iam fine with glasses though.
Here is my prescription
Right eye : SPH: -4.75 CYL: -2.00 AXIS : 55

Left eye : SPH: -3.25 CYL: -2.50 AXIS : 155

It does say on the RSSB medical standard that the correction should be no more than -8 is that the SPH and CYL combined or just the SPH ? ..Iam really worried that Iam not gonna meet the standard unaided.iam absolutely fine with glasses.Any advice guys would be much appreciated.

 

[ES21]

There is no standard for unaided vision. Your combined prescription is -6.75 in the RE and -5.75 in the LE which is below the -8.00 limit.

 

[pop79]

Cheers mate thanks for your reply

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

There is no standard for unaided vision. Your combined prescription is -6.75 in the RE and -5.75 in the LE which is below the -8.00 limit.

The very existence of a limit means that there is indeed a standard!

 

[ES21]

Shaw, unaided vision and prescription are two different things. The unaided vision of a 24 year old with a +4.00 correction will be quite different from that of a 54 year old with the same +4.00 correction, as the 24 year old will have more ability to change focus with the lens of their eye. There is a prescription limit, but no unaided vision standard.

 

[OneLowban]

Not sure if this will be any help and please someone correct/clarify if you can.

I had my medical a couple of weeks ago and not sure on letters etc but the contact lenses I wear are -2.25 and -2.50, right and left.

When I did the unaided eye test I could just about make out the top big single letter and said “sorry that’s all I can see” and the lady said “that’s okay as long as you can see the top one.”

I don’t know how serious she was or if it was just something to say or a joke but it kind of worried me too for future medicals, every 3 years I hear.

 

[AutoKratz]

Not sure if this will be any help and please someone correct/clarify if you can.

I had my medical a couple of weeks ago and not sure on letters etc but the contact lenses I wear are -2.25 and -2.50, right and left.

When I did the unaided eye test I could just about make out the top big single letter and said “sorry that’s all I can see” and the lady said “that’s okay as long as you can see the top one.”

I don’t know how serious she was or if it was just something to say or a joke but it kind of worried me too for future medicals, every 3 years I hear.

The old medical standard did had an unaided vision requirement which was the equivalent of being able to read the largest letter on the snellen chart. This was replaced earlier in 2018 with a maximum lens correction level. So even if you can’t read any of the letters without your glasses you’re fine as long as your prescription remains within the +5 / -8 limit.

 

[OneLowban]

The old medical standard did had an unaided vision requirement which was the equivalent of being able to read the largest letter on the snellen chart. This was replaced earlier in 2018 with a maximum lens correction level. So even if you can’t read any of the letters without your glasses you’re fine as long as your prescription remains within the +5 / -8 limit.

Appreciate the confirmation. So as long as I don’t reach minus 8 I’ll be okay? My eyes have been the same for a good few years now so fingers crossed.

 

[AutoKratz]

There is no standard for unaided vision. Your combined prescription is -6.75 in the RE and -5.75 in the LE which is below the -8.00 limit.

There’s no standard that I’m aware of for astigmatism which is what the second C result is. The standard is for hypermetropia or myopia which is the S result. It is this result which must be between +5 / -8

 

[ES21]

There’s no standard that I’m aware of for astigmatism which is what the second C result is. The standard is for hypermetropia or myopia which is the S result. It is this result which must be between +5 / -8

I would think the maximum combined power would be used as a prescription can be written in + or - cyl form.

+5.25/-3.50x180 and +1.75/+3.50x90 are exactly the same prescription.

 

[pop79]

Not sure if this will be any help and please someone correct/clarify if you can.

I had my medical a couple of weeks ago and not sure on letters etc but the contact lenses I wear are -2.25 and -2.50, right and left.

When I did the unaided eye test I could just about make out the top big single letter and said “sorry that’s all I can see” and the lady said “that’s okay as long as you can see the top one.”

I don’t know how serious she was or if it was just something to say or a joke but it kind of worried me too for future medicals, every 3 years I hear.

Hi did you get tested on the sellen chart only ? I mean the board that is in the wall ?

 

[pop79]

The old medical standard did had an unaided vision requirement which was the equivalent of being able to read the largest letter on the snellen chart. This was replaced earlier in 2018 with a maximum lens correction level. So even if you can’t read any of the letters without your glasses you’re fine as long as your prescription remains within the +5 / -8 limit.

Hi mate Are you sure of that ? Because without my Glasses I can't read even the biggest letter . Iam really worried but my prescription still below -8..can you give me a reference please as maybe I will show it to the nurse

 

[pop79]

Do they still use the visual acuity of unaided vision of 3/60 . But my prescription is below -8

 

[OneLowban]

Hi did you get tested on the sellen chart only ? I mean the board that is in the wall ?

That and a colour blind test and also a little piece of paper on it with 3 sentences and the lady asked me to read it at different distances from my face, for longsightedness I’m guessing.

 

[Supercoss]

Page 6 here
https://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/RIS-3451-TOM Iss 1.pdf

 

[pop79]

Page 6 here
https://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/RIS-3451-TOM Iss 1.pdf

Cheers mate

 

[pop79]

That and a colour blind test and also a little piece of paper on it with 3 sentences and the lady asked me to read it at different distances from my face, for longsightedness I’m guessing.

Cheers for your reply. Have you done your medical with Scotrail ?

 

[rebmcr]

Do they test each eye separately, or just both together?

 

[OneLowban]

Do they test each eye separately, or just both together?

Separately and together.

 

[Harbon 1]

So is eyesight measured as SPH+CYL rather than separately? Sorry for the bump!

 

[ES21]

Maximum combined. Add them together, but watch for + and -. eg. -5.00/+200x180 has max of -5, -5.00/-2.00x180 has max of -7

Edit... oops... sorry highest number you get, and you might have to add them together.

 

[Harbon 1]

I've just found the prescription standards. Mine is +6.0 -4.5 10 in my bad eye (+1.5 -0.5 155 in the other) so as you can probably guess I am sh*tting myself having come this far! I've found an online tool which converts it to +1.50 +4.50 100. Something about astigmatism being written down differently due to to tooling that cut the lenses?

Finding all the straws I can clutch onto currently...

 

[ES21]

Your worst eye is +6.00 max, your other is +1.50 max. You are looking for the highest number. In your case, adding them together gives a lower number.

 

[Tony43]

my currant prescription in right +4.50 sph -1.25 cyl and left +5.50 sph and -1.00 cyl if I understand right that gives me r +3.25 and l +4.50 can someone clarify thanks

 

[ES21]

Highest number so R +4.50 and L +5.50 If adding them together gave you a higher number you'd go by that.