Contact lenses for training, duty

[Francis Marion]

For LEOs who wear contact lenses:

Suppose a department requires some employees to wear contact lenses on duty instead of glasses, San Diego PD being an example; they require contact lenses for persons past a certain level of uncorrected vision.

Two questions-

1) Does wearing contact lenses affect your ability to shoot a pistol? A rifle or shotgun?

2) You wear contact lenses, not glasses, during gas/pepper spray exposure training? I would think that you'd have to take the lenses out after exposure to irritants, is that right? If you have to remove the lenses, do you carry spares or glasses?

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

I wore contact lenses throughout my 20 years. The only time it was an issue involved tear gas training. You will take them out if exposed to pepper spray - otherwise you risk having the particulates trapped against your corneas. Not good. I always had a pair of County-supplied prescription safety glasses handy.

[Ron-Solo]

I don't know of any Department that requires contacts instead of glasses. Seems like there could be an ADA issue there, as long as you can do the essential job function with glasses.

I've worn glasses since I was twelve and had worked in LE for almost 32 years now without any problem.

[Telperion]

Not an LEO, but soft contact lenses can dry out and even if they are just slightly dry your vision will be subtly degraded. I wear them and I always use rewetting drops before stages in highpower matches because I've noticed the effects. Maybe this not a big deal unless you are in a sharpshooter role.

[demnogis]

Note about contacts lenses and vision - I think it depends on what type of vision impairment you have.

People with an astigmatism will notice focusing issues when trying to use sights on a rifle, or pistol, beyond a certain range. For instance, I can shoot and see accurately up to 300yds without the aid of a scope. Anything beyond that my astigmatism prevents me from focusing on the target and sights clearly -- I can see one, or the other clearly, not both.

I noticed this issue when taking my AQT. I was 7pts shy of scoring rifleman because of this very issue, to which many more experienced riflemen were able to explain the issue of vision problems.

Everyone's eyes are different. To get a definite answer, talk to your ophthalmologist and optometrist.