| 1.0 | Purpose |
| These procedures are established to ensure the standards established in Part 2 are met. |
| (a) | for distance vision without corrective lenses, visual acuity of at least 6/60 in both eyes; and |
| (b) | for distance vision with corrective lenses, visual acuity of at least 6/12 in both eyes; and |
| (c) | for near vision, vision required for ships navigation; and |
| (d) | normal visual fields. |
| 2.0 | General requirements |
| A seafarer must— |
| (a) | take and pass a letter test; and |
| (b) | either— |
| | (i) | take and pass any colour vision test required in Part 2; or |
| | (ii) | satisfy the recognised optometrist or recognised medical practitioner that he or she has previously taken and passed any colour vision test required to meet the standards in Part 2 and that test pass is still valid under clause 5A.3 of Part 2. |
| 3.0 | Conduct of eye and vision tests for issue of certificates of competency for seafarers by recognised optometrists |
| 3.1 | Eye and vision tests for certificates of competency for seafarers who are masters, mates, or deck ratings must be conducted by a recognised optometrist. |
| 3.2 | For the assessment of acuity, refractive status, or fields, the recognised optometrist must use methods consistent with current best practice. |
| 3.3 | A seafarer must show photographic identification to the recognised optometrist before taking an eye and vision test. |
| 3.4 | If a seafarer takes both a letter test and a colour vision test, the letter test must be performed first. |
| 3.5 | The recognised optometrist must establish, at the time of the tests, if there is evidence of serious or progressive eye disease, which includes congenital night blindness, diplopia and retinitis pigmentosa. |
| 3.6 | If the recognised optometrist finds evidence of serious or progressive eye disease, the optometrist must advise the seafarer and the Chief Executive Officer of those findings, including any review of the disease required by the optometrist to check on the progress of that eye disease. |
| 4.0 | Purpose of the letter test |
| The purpose of the letter test is to test visual acuity. |
| 5.0 | Conduct of a letter test |
| 5.1 | The letter test must be conducted on Snellen’s principle by means of charts of letters. |
| 5.2 | A seafarer may elect to take the letter test with or without corrective lenses. |
| 5.3 | A seafarer who elects to take the letter test with corrective lenses must first take the test without corrective lenses to ensure the seafarer still meet a lower standard of visual acuity without corrective lenses. |
| 6.0 | Administering the letter test |
| 6.1 | The test chart used for the letter test must be— |
| (a) | properly illuminated; and |
| (b) | mounted at a convenient height. |
| 6.2 | The testing room must be moderately lit. |
| 6.3 | The seafarer must— |
| (a) | face the chart from a distance of 6 metres, or by any other approved means that produces a 6 metre range; and |
| (b) | read each line of the chart from left to right commencing at the top of the chart. |
| 6.4 | A seafarer must not squint during the test (ie the palpebral aperture must not obstruct a clear entrance pupil). |
| 7.0 | Failure to obtain standards |
| 7.1 | A seafarer who fails to meet the standards for visual acuity, set out in Part 2 for binocular or monocular vision as applicable, may only be re-tested once. |
| 7.2 | If a seafarer fails to meet the requirements set out in Part 2 for binocular or monocular vision as applicable, the following options must be explained to the seafarer: |
| (a) | the seafarer may discontinue testing and return for one further test at a later date; or |
| (b) | the seafarer may proceed to the colour vision test but— |
| | (i) | all mistakes (made in the letter and colour vision tests) will be recorded; and |
| | (ii) | the Chief Executive Officer will be advised of the results of both tests. |
| 8.0 | Purpose of the colour vision tests |
| The purpose of the lantern colour vision test and Ishihara plate colour vision test is to test colour vision. |
| 9.0 | Colour vision aids |
| 9.1 | A seafarer must not use colour vision aids when taking any colour vision test. |
| 9.2 | Colour vision aids include red-tinted, chromas lenses and chromagen lenses. |
| 10.0 | Conduct of the Ishihara plate colour vision test |
| 10.1 | Conduct of the Ishihara plate colour vision test |
| 10.2 | The plates must— |
| (a) | be viewed by the examinee from a 50 cm distance; and |
| (b) | be perpendicular to the line of sight of the examinee; and |
| (c) | not be held by the examinee. |
| 10.3 | A seafarer must take the Ishihara plate colour vision test with the best possible visual acuity. |
| 11.0 | Failure of the Ishihara plate colour vision test by examinees for certificates of competency for masters, mates, and deck ratings |
| 11.1 | If a seasfarer for a Certificate of Competency who is a master, mate or deck rating, is tested by a recognised optometrist, and fails the Ishihara plate colour vision test, the recognised optometrist must advise the seafarer that he or she must take the lantern colour vision test. |
| 11.2 | If the seafarer fails the Ishihara plate colour vision test and then fails the lantern colour vision test, the recognised optometrist must advise the seafarer that he or she may take the special colour vision test prescribed in clause 13.0. |
| 12.0 | Conduct of the lantern colour vision test |
| 12.1 | The seafarer must take the lantern colour vision test with the best possible visual acuity. |
| 12.2 | A Holmes Wright Type B lantern and mirror must be provided for the lantern colour vision test. |
| 12.3 | The lantern colour vision test is to be conducted in a darkened room so as to exclude all artificial light and daylight. |
| 12.4 | The lantern must be placed— |
| (a) | directly in front of the mirror so that the front part of the lantern is exactly 3 metres from the mirror; and |
| (b) | in such position that the lights reflected in the mirror show clearly when viewed by the seafarer seated close to the lantern. |
| 12.5 | The lantern colour vision test must begin with a series of lights shown through the large aperture followed by 3 complete circuits through the small apertures. |
| 12.6 | Except as provided in subclause 12.7, the seafarer must name the colours of the lights as they appear. |
| 12.7 | When asked to name the lights shown in horizontal pairs, the seafarer must be instructed that the light on the left must be named first. |
| 12.8 | If a seafarer makes a mistake at the beginning of the lantern colour vision test, the seafarer must be kept in a completely, or partially, darkened room for at least 10 minutes for darkness adaptation, and may then re-start the test. |
| 13.0 | Special colour vision test |
| 13.1 | An examinee who fails the lantern colour vision test may apply to the Chief Executive Officer to sit a special colour vision test. |
| 13.2 | The special colour vision test must be conducted according to clause 12.0 and to the standards required by Part 2. |
| 13.3 | Special colour vision tests must be conducted according to clause 12.0 and to the standards required by Part 2. |
| 14.0 | Results of eye and vision tests conducted by recognised optometrists for certificates of competency |
| 14.1 | Subject to subclause 14.2, the recognised optometrist who has conducted an eye and vision test for a Certificate of Competency must— |
| (a) | record the results of all eye and vision tests on an approved eye and vision test report form; and |
| (b) | forward the form to the Chief Executive Officer; and |
| (c) | provide a copy of the form to the seafarer. |
| 14.2 | If there is any doubt as to whether the seafarer has passed a test, or any evidence that the seafarer may have serious or progressive eye disease, the recognised optometrist must— |
| (a) | refer the complete results of the seafarer’s eye and vision tests to the Chief Executive Officer for the Chief Executive Officer’s decision on whether the seafarer has passed; and |
| (b) | advise the seafarer that his or her results are being referred to the Chief Executive Officer. |
| 14.3 | If a recognised optometrist refers the results of any eye and vision test to the Chief Executive Officer under subclause 14.2, the Chief Executive Officer must, after consultation with the recognised optometrist— |
| (a) | decide whether the seafarer has passed the eye and vision test; and |
| (b) | issue an eye and vision test report form to the seafarer advising the seafarer of that decision. |
| 15.0 | Recording of the results of eye and vision tests conducted by recognised medical practitioners |
| The results of eye and vision tests conducted by recognised medical practitioners must be recorded on the Certificate of Medical Fitness for Seafarers. |
| 16.0 | Notwithstanding the medical standards prescribed above in this Schedule, the ILO/IMO Guideline on the medical examinations of seafarers is applicable to this Schedule. |
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