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Eyesight requirements for EMT?


SOCMOB

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My left eye's no good. My right is correctable. My left is not, I can see the big "E" on the eye chart with my left and that's it. Depth perception, what's that?

Will this keep me from being able to drive an ambulance?

Will this keep me from taking the National Registry, or if I can, will it keep me from being hired?

Thanks in advance.

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Your left is 20/200 (if you can read the E only)

Most states are 20/40 for a drivers license in at least ONE eye, Nevada is 20/50 and TN is 20/30

California requires a CDL which is 20/40 both eyes however I believe monocular can get a waiver.

National Registry has no requirement they are not a licensing body

Four questiins

1. Where are you?

2. What is your right eye correctable to? 20/20, 20/40 etc

3. Do you have a drivers license? If so, does it have any restrictions beyond glasses?

4. When you say no depth perception do you mean left only or at all?

Edited by kiwimedic
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Your left is 20/200 (if you can read the E only)

1. Where are you?

2. What is your right eye correctable to? 20/20, 20/40 etc

3. Do you have a drivers license? If so, does it have any restrictions beyond glasses?

4. When you say no depth perception do you mean left only or at all?

1 - I am in the San Francisco Bay Area, State of California, USA.

2 - 20/20 I believe.

3 - Yes. Restrictions are "must wear corrective lens" (which I agree with, my driving suffers without it!) and to have a mirror on both sides

4 - Stereoscopic vision requires two working eyes, and I don't have it. I get through life by using a lot of "cheats" or visual cues, been that way all my life.

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Ah ... San Francisco, much nicer than LA, know it well.

The monocular vision should not be a problem, you can probably get it waived.

Check with the Federal Motor Carriers Ssfety Administration http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/safetyprograms/Vision/vision-exemption-package.pdf

Edited by kiwimedic
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CDL Requires 20/40 in both eyes ben is correct in that statement I do not know if there is a waiver for monocular vision or not.

Now also you must understand that part of working in the ems field is perceiving what is around you so if your depth perception is not functioning properly well then you might have a tough time of it but it seems like you have found little ways of getting around these problems....but remember one thing if blind people like kiwi and myself can get into ems then chances are you can as well..

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if blind people like kiwi and myself can get into ems then chances are you can as well..

And just what are you implying by that? I assume everyone here has 20/20 (normal) or 20/15 (fighter pilot) vision, and I would assume Kiwi will not take kindly to you referring to him/her/it as "blind" so please clarify.

As for myself, I have no problem referring to myself as a half-blind ambulance driver, as in the best case, that is exactly what I will be. It will be an accurate description.

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My left eye's no good. My right is correctable. My left is not, I can see the big "E" on the eye chart with my left and that's it. Depth perception, what's that?

Will this keep me from being able to drive an ambulance?

Will this keep me from taking the National Registry, or if I can, will it keep me from being hired?

Thanks in advance.

Socmob, good day to you and welcome to the site.

My biggest question is this "Do I want someone who can't see sticking me with a IV Needle?" Do I want someone trying intubate me when they can't see?

No offense Socmob but I am just leary when someone with coke bottle glasses comes toward me with an iv cath.

As for driving, can you get corrected down to 20/40? or 20/50 I don't know what missouri's requirements are but someone who has no depth perception, should they really be driving?

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Socmob, good day to you and welcome to the site.

My biggest question is this "Do I want someone who can't see sticking me with a IV Needle?" Do I want someone trying intubate me when they can't see?

No offense Socmob but I am just leary when someone with coke bottle glasses comes toward me with an iv cath.

As for driving, can you get corrected down to 20/40? or 20/50 I don't know what missouri's requirements are but someone who has no depth perception, should they really be driving?

California requires 20/40 for a regular DL so he's at least that if not better.

Hey I can start IVs and intubate people fine, heck, and I R blinderder than all of you! :D

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California requires 20/40 for a regular DL so he's at least that if not better.

Hey I can start IVs and intubate people fine, heck, and I R blinderder than all of you! :D

Like I said, no offense intended.

I know that if I saw someone getting ready to start an iv and they had to use a magnifying glass of a pair of glasses, I don't think that would make me too confident in them getting me the first stick.

Maybe they can hit it just fine but the concern is there.

Again, like I said, no offense. It seems I've offended enough people today with emails.

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Like I said, no offense intended.

I know that if I saw someone getting ready to start an iv and they had to use a magnifying glass of a pair of glasses, I don't think that would make me too confident in them getting me the first stick.

Maybe they can hit it just fine but the concern is there.

Again, like I said, no offense. It seems I've offended enough people today with emails.

No offense taken mate

Of course the concern is there, I would be lying if I said it wouldn't be and quite rightly so!

Phew OK so we've started an IV and got him nice and tubed, now, who is gonna drive? :D

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