Good vision matters on the street, so Police Scotland sets a national eyesight standard every candidate must meet before appointment. The good news is that spectacles and contact lenses are accepted, and most forms of colour-vision deficiency do not block you. This guide sets out the exact thresholds, where they come from, and how each part of the test works.
What the Police Scotland eyesight standard covers
The detailed figures come from Annex 1 to the determination made by the Scottish Ministers under regulation 6 of the Police Service of Scotland Regulations 2013. That Annex sets the standard of eyesight which must be met by a candidate for appointment to the Police Service, and it is the document a Police Scotland medical assessment works from.
On its recruitment page, Police Scotland lists meeting the national eyesight standard as one of its eligibility requirements, alongside being 18 or over, being physically fit, having lived in the UK for at least three years, meeting the right to work requirements and holding a manual driving licence. The Scottish Annex is what fills in the numbers behind that short bullet point.
The Annex organises the mandatory eyesight requirements under three headings: static visual acuity, visual field and colour vision. Separate paragraphs then deal with spectacles and contact lenses and with eye surgery. You need to clear all of them, not just the distance line on the chart.
If you are still mapping out the stages, our overview of Police Scotland recruitment explains where the medical sits relative to the entrance test, fitness test and vetting.
The full Annex 1 table
| Eyesight | Mandatory requirement |
|---|---|
| Static Visual Acuity | 1 Corrected distance visual acuity must be 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 or better, binocularly. |
Corrected near static visual acuity must be 6/9 or better, binocularly. Applicants who do not reach the standard must be invited for a further test if they obtain a stronger prescription.
Uncorrected visual acuity must be 6/36 or better, binocularly.
Corrected low contrast distance visual acuity must be 6/12 or better for a 10% contrast target, binocularly. |
| Visual Field | 2 A field of view of at least 120 degrees horizontally by 100 degrees vertically is required. The field of view should be free of any large defective areas, particularly in the fovea. Single defects smaller than the physiological blind spot, and multiple defects that add to an area smaller than the physiological blind spot, are acceptable. |
| Colour Vision | 3 Monochromats should be rejected.
Mild anomalous trichromats are acceptable and are to be treated as normal.
Severe anomalous trichromats and dichromats are also acceptable and are to be instructed in coping strategies.
Applicants who show a lowered discrimination for blue colours should be referred to an ophthalmologist for further assessment. This must include a measure of their dark adaptation performance. |
How the police eye test chart is read
Acuity should be measured using a Snellen eye chart, or equivalent, according to the police recruitment determination. That is the chart of shrinking letters you will recognise from any optician’s consulting room, and each line on it equates to a standard.
The police eye test distance that candidates most often ask about comes from supporting entry guidance for police recruitment, which describes the actual chart as being read from six metres away. Note the distinction: the Scottish Annex itself does not set six metres as a separate Police Scotland pass rule, it sets the acuity fractions. Treat six metres as the normal measurement arrangement, not as a threshold you pass or fail.
Reading the fractions is straightforward once you know the convention. The top number is the testing distance and the bottom number is the distance at which a person with standard vision could read the same line. So 6/12 means you read at six metres what a standard eye reads at twelve, and 6/6 means your vision matches the reference standard.
Distance visual acuity: the numbers you must meet
The headline figure for police eyesight requirements in Scotland is corrected distance visual acuity of 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 or better, binocularly. That is the minimum eyesight for a police constable under the 2013 Scottish Annex: each eye on its own needs to reach 6/12, and both eyes working together need to reach 6/6.
Uncorrected visual acuity is assessed too. Without glasses or contact lenses, you must still manage 6/36 or better, binocularly. This is the figure that catches out applicants with a very heavy prescription, because correction alone does not satisfy the Annex if the unaided reading falls below that level.
The third distance measure is corrected low contrast distance visual acuity, which must be 6/12 or better for a 10% contrast target, binocularly. Low contrast testing matters operationally: policing involves identifying people and hazards in poor light, rain and dusk, where edges are washed out rather than sharply black on white.
Near vision and what happens if your prescription is not strong enough
Corrected near static visual acuity must be 6/9 or better, binocularly. Near vision is about reading notebooks, statements, screens and documents at arm’s length or closer, so it is tested separately from the distance chart even though the Scottish Annex expresses both on the same Snellen scale.
Falling short here is not an automatic end to your application. The Annex states that applicants who do not reach the standard must be invited for a further test if they obtain a stronger prescription. In practice that means a return trip to the optician rather than a rejection letter, provided the rest of the standard is met.
Be aware that the retest only fixes the near vision line. The distance thresholds, the uncorrected reading, the low contrast target, the visual field and the colour vision requirements all still have to be satisfied in their own right.
Visual field requirements
The required visual field is at least 120 degrees horizontally by 100 degrees vertically. This is about peripheral awareness: an officer needs to register movement at the edge of their vision while focused on something in front of them.
Quality of the field matters as much as its width. The Annex says the field of view should be free of any large defective areas, particularly in the fovea, the small central region of the retina responsible for your sharpest detail vision. A blind spot sitting in the fovea would undermine everything the acuity tests measure.
Small defects are tolerated within defined limits. A single defect smaller than the physiological blind spot, and multiple defects whose combined area is smaller than the physiological blind spot, are acceptable. The physiological blind spot is the natural gap in everyone’s visual field where the optic nerve leaves the retina, so the Annex uses it as a practical yardstick for what counts as insignificant.
Testing usually begins simply. The field of view may be tested using a confrontation test, where the examiner moves a target in from the periphery while you fix your gaze straight ahead. The determination recommends that forces use more sophisticated testing equipment where possible, and adds that if a confrontation test suggests a reduced visual field, or the medical questionnaire suggests an increased risk of one, the applicant should be referred to an ophthalmologist for a thorough examination of their visual field.
Colour vision: can you be a police officer if you are colour blind?
Most people with a colour-vision deficiency can join. The Scottish Annex is explicit about which categories are acceptable, and the answer depends on the type and severity of the deficiency rather than on whether you have one at all.
Monochromats, who see no colour at all, should be rejected under the Scottish recruitment standard. That is the only outright exclusion in the colour vision section.
Mild anomalous trichromats are acceptable and are to be treated as normal. Anomalous trichromats still have three types of colour-sensing cone, but one of them responds differently, which shifts colour perception without removing it.
Severe anomalous trichromats and dichromats are also acceptable, and the Annex says they are to be instructed in coping strategies. Dichromats have only two functioning cone types, which is the group most people picture when they think of red-green colour blindness. The point to take away is that this group is accepted for Police Scotland recruitment, with coaching on how to work around the deficiency. Stricter rules exist elsewhere: Ministry of Defence Police state that dichromats and severe anomalous trichromats are unsuitable for Authorised Firearms Officer roles, which is a different, armed post and not the Police Scotland constable standard.
One pathway triggers extra scrutiny. Applicants who show a lowered discrimination for blue colours should be referred to an ophthalmologist for further assessment, and the Annex requires that assessment to include a measure of dark adaptation performance.
How colour vision is tested
Colour vision should be tested using the Farnsworth D-15 test, according to the police recruitment determination. The D-15 asks you to arrange a set of coloured caps in order of hue; the pattern of any errors shows both the type and the severity of a deficiency, which is exactly what the Annex categories require. That is a different approach from the Ishihara test plates many people have seen, which screen for a deficiency rather than grade it.
One rule is easy to trip over: applicants should not wear colour correcting lenses during the colour vision tests. Those lenses can mask a deficiency and would produce a result that does not reflect your actual colour vision.
Glasses and contact lenses
Can you wear glasses as a police officer? Yes. The Scottish Annex states that corrective spectacles and contact lenses are acceptable for the tasks of an Operational Police Constable, so wearing them does not disqualify you from being a police officer in Scotland.
The condition attached is simple. Correction must be worn where necessary to achieve 6/6 binocularly, and the corrected distance threshold stays at 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 or better binocularly when your vision is assessed with spectacles or contact lenses in place. In other words, the standard does not move because you use correction; the correction exists to get you to the standard.
Take your current prescription seriously before the appointment. If your corrected near vision comes in below 6/9 binocularly, the Annex route is a further test after obtaining a stronger prescription, so an up to date prescription saves you a round trip. The same logic applies to contact lenses: wear the correction you actually intend to use on duty.
Eye surgery and Police Scotland eyesight eligibility
Refractive surgery is not a barrier in itself. The Annex names PRK, LASIK, LASEK, ICRS and cataract surgery as procedures where there is no significant weakening of the cornea, and says applicants must not be rejected only on the basis of having had such surgery.
Two conditions come with that. A period of at least six weeks after surgery should be allowed before applications are accepted, which gives vision time to settle. And because there may be a reduction in low light level visual performance after PRK, LASIK or LASEK, the Annex directs that visual performance be tested under low illuminance conditions.
Some procedures are a hard stop. Radial keratotomy (RK), arcuate keratotomy (AK), corneal grafts and any other surgical procedures that result in a significant weakening of the cornea must lead to rejection, because there is a measurable risk of corneal rupture if the eye is struck. That is an operational safety judgement about the realities of physical confrontation, not a comment on your current acuity.
If you are planning surgery around an application, factor the recovery window into your timeline. Our guide to how long it takes to become a police officer shows how the stages stack up.
Preparing for the police eyesight test
Book an eye test early and tell the optician which measures are involved: distance acuity on a Snellen eye chart or equivalent, near static visual acuity, low contrast distance visual acuity at a 10% target, visual field assessment, and colour vision using the Farnsworth D-15 test. Asking for all of them in one appointment avoids returning for a missing measurement.
Three practical points are worth repeating. Leave colour correcting lenses at home for the colour test. Bring your current spectacles or contact lenses, since the corrected readings are the ones that count. And if a confrontation test flags anything in your visual field, expect a referral to an ophthalmologist rather than an immediate decision.
The eyesight standard is only one gate. Police Scotland states that it does not endorse any study materials, so when you prepare for the entrance test, use independent resources and keep the two things separate in your mind: the medical measures your eyes, the PSET measures language, information handling and numeracy. Our walkthrough of how to become a police officer in Scotland sets out the order of the stages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum eyesight requirement for a Police Scotland constable?
Corrected distance visual acuity must be 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 or better with both eyes together. You also need corrected near vision of 6/9 binocularly, uncorrected binocular vision of 6/36 or better, and corrected low contrast distance vision of 6/12 or better at a 10% contrast target. These figures come from Annex 1 to the Police Service of Scotland Regulations 2013.
Can I join the police with bad eyesight?
Possibly. Spectacles and contact lenses are acceptable for operational police constable duties as long as your corrected vision meets the standards. Remember that the assessment also covers near vision, low contrast vision, visual field and colour vision, so distance acuity on its own does not decide your eligibility.
Can you wear glasses in the police, and can I join if I wear them?
Yes. The Scottish standard says correction must be worn where necessary to achieve 6/6 binocularly, and that corrective spectacles and contact lenses are acceptable for operational police constable duties. Wearing glasses does not by itself mean you fail the eyesight standard.
How much eyesight is required for police recruitment?
The standard uses several measures rather than one number: 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 binocularly for corrected distance vision, 6/9 binocularly for corrected near vision, 6/36 or better binocularly without correction, and 6/12 binocularly for corrected low contrast distance visual acuity at a 10% contrast target.
Can I be a police officer if I am colour blind?
It depends on the type of deficiency. Monochromats should be rejected, mild anomalous trichromats are acceptable and treated as normal, and severe anomalous trichromats and dichromats are acceptable under the Scottish standard but must receive coping-strategy instruction. Reduced blue discrimination requires further ophthalmologist assessment, including dark adaptation testing.
How is colour vision tested for Police Scotland recruitment?
The police recruitment determination specifies the Farnsworth D-15 test, and says applicants should not wear colour correcting lenses during colour testing. If your blue-colour discrimination is reduced, the Scottish Annex requires further assessment by an ophthalmologist, including dark adaptation performance.
Can Specsavers test for colour blindness before the police medical?
The recruitment documents do not name a particular optician or chain. What they do specify is the method: the Farnsworth D-15 test, with no colour correcting lenses worn during the test. Ask your optician whether they can provide that assessment, then confirm any Police Scotland medical paperwork directly with the force.
What is the distance for the Police Scotland eye test?
The determination says acuity should be measured using a Snellen eye chart or equivalent. Supporting entry guidance for police recruitment describes its chart as being read from six metres away, but the Scottish Annex does not state six metres as a separate pass rule. Confirm the practical appointment instructions with Police Scotland.
What happens if I do not meet the near-vision requirement?
You should not be rejected immediately. The Scottish Annex says an applicant who does not reach corrected near static visual acuity of 6/9 binocularly must be invited for a further test after obtaining a stronger prescription. The other eyesight requirements still apply.
Can eye surgery prevent me from joining Police Scotland?
Not automatically. PRK, LASIK, LASEK, ICRS and cataract surgery are not grounds for rejection on their own where the cornea is not significantly weakened, provided at least six weeks have passed and low-light performance is tested. Radial keratotomy, arcuate keratotomy, corneal grafts and procedures that significantly weaken the cornea are grounds for rejection under the Annex.
Next step
Get your eye test booked, ask for the full set of measures listed above, and keep the optician’s results with your application paperwork. Once the medical side is sorted, the entrance test is usually the next hurdle: you can sit a free, independent practice paper at https://www.jointhecops.co.uk/free-pset/ to see where you stand. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Police Scotland.
Sources
Realistic mock exams in Language, Numeracy and Information Handling with complete explanations.
How Hard Is Level 5.4 on the Police Bleep Test? (Police Scotland Chart & Pass Rates)
How Long Does It Take to Become a Police Officer in Scotland? (2026 Timeline)
