Vision Correction Not Automatically Disqualifying

Federal agencies should not automatically disqualify employees or applicants who have undergone vision correction surgery from law enforcement or other safety sensitive work nor place them on restricted duty, the Office of Personnel Management has said in guidance to personnel directors. The guidance said that individuals should be allowed to resume or be considered for such work if they have no current postoperative complications and are able to perform the work safely and efficiently. The memo said that initial concerns regarding the potential adverse effects of such surgery “have proven to be statistically insignificant. It recommended conducting complete eye exams to identify any postoperative complications, supplemented by a self-report vision questionnaire that identifies if the individual has experienced any visual changes since their eye surgery.