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Do you have to have good eyesight to be a sniper?

Author

Emma Payne

Published Jan 13, 2026

Snipers must have 20/20 vision or vision that is correctable to 20/20 and have normal color vision (not color blind). In the Army, snipers must score 70 percent or better on each area of the Army Physical Fitness Test.

Can you be a sniper if you need glasses?

Can you still become a scout sniper if you have to wear contacts/glasses to have 20/20 vision? Yes.

What are the requirements to be a sniper?

Prospective snipers have to pass a psychological evaluation (MMPI/CPI) within one year of the date of their training, have a GT score of 100 or higher, and must receive an expert qualification with the M4 rifle within six months of training.

Is being sniper hard?

“Sniper school is one of the hardest schools in the military, not physically, but mentally,” Staff Sgt. Brian Moran, one of the 11 instructors who oversees the training, told the Army News Service.

Can you be a sniper with only one eye?

For the one-eyed sniper (who asked that his name be withheld), it's his only one after a wound sustained in Iraq. The sniper, whose job it is to take out enemy fighters with pinpoint accuracy, possesses only one eye — although the "handicap" has hardly hindered him during the eight-week scout snipers course.

25 related questions found

Do snipers close their eye?

For years, military sharpshooting instructors taught their students to close their non-dominant eye as a fundamental of shooting. The idea behind this practice is to lower the activity of the half of the brain that isn't technically being used, freeing it from distractions.

Which eye is dominant?

Most people have a dominant eye that corresponds to their dominant hand. For example, if you are left-handed, you are more likely to have a dominant left eye. Right-handed people can also have a dominant left eye, but it is not as common.

Are snipers safe?

There are few "safe" jobs in armed conflict, but certainly one of the toughest and most dangerous is that of a sniper. They must sneak forward in groups of two to spy on the enemy, knowing that an adversary who spots them first may be lethal.

How long is Sniper School?

The United States Army Sniper Course is a seven week course in which the student undergoes rigorous training to become the most feared weapon on the battlefield.

How much are snipers paid?

Salary Ranges for Army Snipers

The salaries of Army Snipers in the US range from $11,011 to $294,666 , with a median salary of $53,013 . The middle 57% of Army Snipers makes between $53,016 and $133,561, with the top 86% making $294,666.

How tall is a sniper?

The Sniper is the third tallest class in the game at 6'1" (185 cm), with only Demoman 6'2" (187 cm) and Heavy 6'5" (196 cm) taller than him.

How old is the average sniper?

Sniper Age Breakdown

Interestingly enough, the average age of Snipers is 20-30 years old, which represents 70% of the population.

Can you go to sniper school if you wear glasses?

United States Army Sniper Course

*If you wear glasses, bring 2 pair of military issue of current prescription. Contacts and civilian eyewear are authorized. *You will use sunscreen and insect repellent, bring it. *You may bring Cell phones and Laptops for use AFTER TRAINING HOURS.

Can the Army fix my eyes?

Since 2000, the Defense Department has approved these surgeries for most jobs in the military and now have eye clinics that perform these procedures for active-duty personnel in all service branch hospitals.

Can you be a sniper if you get Lasik?

Whether you plan on being a Navy fighter pilot, an Air Force rescue officer, or an Army sniper, you'll need excellent visual acuity to qualify for special roles. Usually that means having perfect vision – and anything short of that can stymie your dream of flying. That's the bad news.

Do snipers get paid more?

How does the salary as a Sniper at US Army compare with the base salary range for this job? The average salary for a Sniper is $60,702 per year in United States, which is 5% lower than the average US Army salary of $64,162 per year for this job.

How do snipers train?

Military sniper training aims to teach a high degree of proficiency in camouflage and concealment, stalking, observation and map reading as well as precision marksmanship under various operational conditions. Trainees typically shoot thousands of rounds over a number of weeks, while learning these core skills.

How long does it take to be a U.S. sniper?

Snipers must graduate from the US Army Sniper Course, a seven-week training course at Fort Benning. Students master several different weapons systems and learn a wide array of fieldcraft skills. Roughly half of all students accepted to the course end up graduating.

Do snipers use math?

MOA (minute of angle) is the unit of measurement that snipers use in school to measure accuracy. The greater the distance the sniper is shooting from, the lower the accuracy, as natural forces like wind resistance work on the bullet while it travels through the air.

Is a sniper a gun or a person?

A sniper rifle is a type of gun used to accurately shoot targets a long distance away. A person who uses a sniper rifle in the military is called a sniper.

Can I be a sniper?

In order to become a sniper, you must be on active duty, or in the Reserve or National Guard. You cannot be on inactive duty (even if you are involved with military activities). Get experience as an infantry soldier.

What if neither eye is dominant?

So what happens if there is no dominant eye? While highly unlikely, it does occur that there is no real difference in the sensory input of both eyes. Both the eyes are more or less equal to each other.

Is it rare to be left eye dominant?

Being a “righty” or a “lefty” doesn't mean that your dominant eye will be on the same side. Like handedness, right eye dominance is more common than left. Roughly 10% of the world's population is left-handed, while about 1/3 is left eye dominant.

Can use both hands but not equally?

Coming from the Latin word ambidexter, which means “right-handed on both sides,” ambidextrous describes someone who can use either hand to write, swing a bat or catch a ball.