Q: I am 23 years old and my eye power is -8.24 in both the eyes. How can I represent it in terms of 6/6 vision. Can you tell me if I am eligible for defence jobs?

A:Refractive error is quantified by a ‘power’ e.g. – 1.0, -2.0, etc. or in this case - 8.24. This is the dioptric value of the refractive error. 6/6 or such notations (6/24, 6/9, etc,) refer to the best corrected visual ‘acuity’ of the individual. You should see an ophthalmologist, who will be able to advise you as to whether you are seeing 6/6 or less. Regarding the eligibility criteria for defence jobs, you can look up the websites for the respective fields you are interested in joining. Most sites outline the criteria for selection.