What Are the Eyesight Requirements for RCMP?
What Are the Eyesight Requirements for RCMP?
Quick Answer: The eyesight requirements for RCMP applicants cover four areas: corrected visual acuity, uncorrected visual acuity, field of vision, and color vision. You must also be free from ocular disease. A Canadian optometrist or ophthalmologist documents results on official Form RCMP 2180e, valid for two years
For RCMP origins and how today’s force evolved, see our RCMP history and context guide.
If you’re applying to become an RCMP Regular Member, you’ll face a vision assessment before reaching the Medical stage. The document that sets every standard is the RM Applicant Vision Examination Report (RCMP GRC 2180e), last updated November 2025. Your optometrist fills in the form directly. What’s printed on that form is what decides whether you pass or fail — so that’s where this article starts.
Vision is one of several requirements you need to meet. The full picture — citizenship, criminal record, education, and more — is covered in the Eligibility & Requirements section. If you’re earlier in the process and still exploring what joining looks like from the ground up, the RCMP Recruitment section is a useful starting point before diving into specific standards.
Background articles are not application steps — use them for context, then follow the official recruiting hubs for requirements, fitness, pay, and timelines that change each intake year.
Visual Acuity
The RCMP Form 2180e tests two separate conditions. You must meet both.
With glasses or contacts (corrected vision): Your acuity must be at least 6/6 (20/20) binocularly — both eyes open and measured together.
Without glasses or contacts (uncorrected vision): You need at least 6/18 (20/60) in each eye — or 6/12 (20/40) in one eye and 6/30 (20/100) in the other.
Testing uses a Landolt Ring or Snellen chart. No errors are allowed per line of symbols. The RCMP’s Before You Apply page explains the reason for the uncorrected standard clearly: it reflects the minimum vision needed for safe policing if glasses or contacts are lost or displaced during service.
Vision is just one piece of the medical puzzle. See all the physical and fitness standards for RCMP applicants.
Field of Vision
The November 2025 form sets the binocular field of vision standard at:
- At least 150 degrees in the horizontal direction
- At least 70 degrees in diameter in the vertical and oblique directions, centred on the fixation point
Both eyes are open and tested together. Officers need wide peripheral awareness on duty — to track movement, spot threats, and respond quickly without turning their heads. That’s why the standard measures both horizontal reach and vertical depth.
Another conflict to flag: Some RCMP web pages describe the vertical requirement as “20 degrees continuous above and below fixation.” The November 2025 form states “70 degrees in diameter.” If your optometrist is unsure which measurement to use, check with your recruiter before the appointment.
Colour Vision
The RCMP GRC 2180e form uses a two-step testing process. No colour-correcting aids — including tinted or coloured contact lenses — are allowed during either step.
Step 1 — Ishihara pseudo-isochromatic plates: Correctly identify at least 17 of 21 patterns and you pass. Colour vision testing ends there.
Step 2 — Farnsworth D-15 (only if Step 1 is failed): Your optometrist administers this test with a two-minute time limit per arrangement of the caps. Pass the Farnsworth D-15 and you meet the minimum colour vision standard.
Fail both? The form states it directly: “the minimum vision standards for an RCMP applicant are not met.”
Colour vision matters constantly on duty. Officers identify vehicles, read traffic signals, match clothing descriptions, and interpret visual cues throughout every shift. A deficiency creates real misidentification risks in the field — which is why the RCMP uses a two-stage approach to give applicants a complete and fair assessment.
Ocular Health
The RCMP Form 2180e states that applicants must be free from ocular diseases that impair visual performance. During the exam, your optometrist checks for and records:
- Strabismus — misalignment of the eyes
- Diplopia — double vision
- Any eye disease, identified and specified on the form
- Any indication you could experience double vision when fatigued, under reduced visual cues, or under greater visual stress
If any condition is present, the RCMP may request more information at the health assessment stage. The form reviews each case individually — it does not list specific conditions that automatically disqualify an applicant.
How the Exam Works
Only a registered Canadian ophthalmologist or optometrist can complete Form RCMP 2180e. They must provide their licence number, business address, and signature. Exams completed outside Canada are not accepted.
Three things from the applicant declaration section of the form are worth knowing before you book:
- The report is valid for two years from the testing date
- The cost is your responsibility — exam fees, any refractive surgery, and all reports prepared
- An incomplete form gets returned and may result in disqualification
The vision exam does not happen at the start of your application. It is requested by Recruiting before the Medical stage. If you want to understand exactly where it fits within each step, the Application Process section maps out the full sequence from initial application through to enrolment.
Clinics experienced with RCMP applicants — including Optiview in Surrey, BC and My Optometrist Calgary — are already set up for the required protocols and know how to complete the RCMP 2180e documentation correctly.
The form is classified Protected B once completed, meaning it’s treated as sensitive personal health information. It is collected under section 9.1(1) of the RCMP Act and stored under Personal Information Bank RCMP PPU 070. If you ever need to access or correct your information, contact the RCMP ATIP Branch at ATIP-AIPRP@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
If You’ve Had Eye Surgery
If you’ve had any refractive surgery, you cannot book your vision exam until the required waiting period has passed. Here is the complete table directly from RCMP GRC 2180e (2025-11):
| Surgery Type | Pre-Op Refractive Error | Minimum Wait |
|---|---|---|
| LASIK | Under 5.00 D | 30 days |
| LASIK | 5.00 D or more | 90 days |
| PRK | Under 5.00 D | 30 days |
| PRK | 5.00 D or more | 90 days |
| SMILE / ReLEX SMILE | Under 5.00 D | 30 days |
| SMILE / ReLEX SMILE | 5.00 D or more | 90 days |
| ICL/PIOL — anterior chamber lens | — | 6 months |
| ICL/PIOL — posterior chamber lens | — | 6 months |
Two details matter here. First, SMILE and ReLEX SMILE appear in the November 2025 version of the form for the first time. If you had this procedure and were told previously that RCMP standards did not address it, the current form now lists it explicitly. Second, the wait times for LASIK, PRK, and SMILE are not flat numbers — they depend on your pre-operative prescription strength. Your optometrist can confirm which category applies to you.
After surgery, the form requires your optometrist to document whether you have experienced halos, starbursts, night vision difficulties, or contrast sensitivity difficulties — and whether your vision is now stable. They must also note any increased risk of eye damage from physical confrontation compared to a non-surgical eye. As Browz Eyeware Calgary explains, contrast sensitivity is especially relevant for post-surgery applicants because laser procedures can reduce visual performance in low-light conditions — a direct concern for anyone working night patrols.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The RCMP sets minimum standards, not perfect vision. With correction, acuity must reach 6/6 (20/20) binocularly. Without correction, you need at least 6/18 in each eye, or 6/12 in one and 6/30 in the other. Both glasses and contacts count as valid correction, per RCMP Form 2180e.
You get a second test — the Farnsworth D-15. Each cap arrangement has a two-minute time limit. Passing the D-15 fully meets the RCMP minimum colour vision standard. Only failing both tests means the standard is not met, as stated directly on the official form.
Yes, as of November 2025. SMILE and ReLEX SMILE are now explicitly listed on Form 2180e alongside LASIK and PRK. The wait is 30 days if your pre-op refractive error was under 5.00 D, or 90 days if it was higher. This procedure was not listed in earlier versions of the form.
Two years from the testing date, as stated in the applicant declaration on RCMP Form 2180e. If your file takes longer and the report expires before you reach the Medical stage, you will need a new exam — again at your own cost. Submitting an incomplete form gets it returned and may delay or disqualify your application.
This article is based on the RM Applicant Vision Examination Report (RCMP GRC 2180e, version 2025-11) published by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the RCMP Before You Apply page for Regular Members, and the RCMP required forms and documents page at rcmp.ca. Supporting context was drawn from Canadian optometry providers experienced in RCMP applicant examinations. This is general information only — not medical or legal advice.
Sources Referenced
| # | Source | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RCMP GRC 2180e (2025-11) — Official Form PDF | Official — Primary |
| 2 | RCMP – Required Forms & Vision Standards Page | Official |
| 3 | RCMP – Before You Apply (Regular Member) | Official |
| 4 | RCMP – Federal Policing Before You Apply | Official |
| 5 | Optiview – RCMP & Police Eye Exams, Surrey BC | Supporting |
| 6 | My Optometrist Calgary – Police & RCMP Eye Exams | Supporting |
| 7 | Browz Eyeware – RCMP Contrast Sensitivity Testing | Supporting |
| 8 | joinrcmp.ca – Eligibility & Requirements | Internal |
| 9 | joinrcmp.ca – Application Process | Internal |
| 10 | joinrcmp.ca – RCMP Recruitment | Internal |
This article reflects current RCMP policy based on official government documentation. Eligibility and suitability decisions are assessed on a case-by-case basis during the application process.
