The study aimed to determine the appropriate visual acuity standards for beach lifeguards. It found that while calculations suggested lifeguards need 6/17 vision to see a head at 300m, tests with lifeguards found they needed 6/7 vision on average. The study recommends lifeguards have corrected vision of 6/9 and uncorrected vision no worse than 6/18 in either eye to safely spot people in trouble from 200-300m away.

1. Visual acuity standards for Beach Lifeguards Mike Tipton, *Emily Scarpello, Tara Reilly, **James McGill University of Portsmouth, UK *Aston University, UK **Southampton General Hospital, UK

12. Results from Bournemouth (B) and Westward Ho! (W) 6/44 0.87 (0.15) (vi) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 100m 6/18 0.48 (0.13) (v) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 200m 6/10 0.23 (0.19) (iv) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 300m 6/36 0.78 (0.25) (iii) W: identify a buoy at 100m out to sea (n=8) 6/11 0.28 (0.18) (ii) W: identify a buoy at 200m out to sea (n=8) 6/43 0.86 (0.23) (iv) B: locate and identify a human head within a 100m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/33 0.74 (0.15) (iii) B: identify a human immersed to the waist at 300m in the sea 6/13 0.33 (0.16) (ii) B: identify an arm waving at 300m in the sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/7 0.06 (0.17) (ii) W: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/8 0.11(0.06) (i) B: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) Snellen LogMAR Mean (SD) Condition

13. Results from Bournemouth (B) and Westward Ho! (W) 6/44 0.87 (0.15) (vi) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 100m 6/18 0.48 (0.13) (v) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 200m 6/10 0.23 (0.19) (iv) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 300m 6/36 0.78 (0.25) (iii) W: identify a buoy at 100m out to sea (n=8) 6/11 0.28 (0.18) (ii) W: identify a buoy at 200m out to sea (n=8) 6/43 0.86 (0.23) (iv) B: locate and identify a human head within a 100m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/33 0.74 (0.15) (iii) B: identify a human immersed to the waist at 300m in the sea 6/13 0.33 (0.16) (ii) B: identify an arm waving at 300m in the sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/7 0.06 (0.17) (ii) W: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/8 0.11(0.06) (i) B: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) Snellen LogMAR Mean (SD) Condition

14. Results from Bournemouth (B) and Westward Ho! (W) 6/44 0.87 (0.15) (vi) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 100m 6/18 0.48 (0.13) (v) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 200m 6/10 0.23 (0.19) (iv) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 300m 6/36 0.78 (0.25) (iii) W: identify a buoy at 100m out to sea (n=8) 6/11 0.28 (0.18) (ii) W: identify a buoy at 200m out to sea (n=8) 6/43 0.86 (0.23) (iv) B: locate and identify a human head within a 100m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/33 0.74 (0.15) (iii) B: identify a human immersed to the waist at 300m in the sea 6/13 0.33 (0.16) (ii) B: identify an arm waving at 300m in the sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/7 0.06 (0.17) (ii) W: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/8 0.11(0.06) (i) B: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) Snellen LogMAR Mean (SD) Condition

21. Results from Bournemouth (B) and Westward Ho! (W) 6/44 0.87 (0.15) (vi) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 100m 6/18 0.48 (0.13) (v) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 200m 6/10 0.23 (0.19) (iv) W: identify a buoy on the wet beach at 300m 6/36 0.78 (0.25) (iii) W: identify a buoy at 100m out to sea (n=8) 6/11 0.28 (0.18) (ii) W: identify a buoy at 200m out to sea (n=8) 6/43 0.86 (0.23) (iv) B: locate and identify a human head within a 100m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/33 0.74 (0.15) (iii) B: identify a human immersed to the waist at 300m in the sea 6/13 0.33 (0.16) (ii) B: identify an arm waving at 300m in the sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/7 0.06 (0.17) (ii) W: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) 6/8 0.11(0.06) (i) B: locate and identify a human head within a 300m radius out to sea (volunteer immersed to neck) Snellen LogMAR Mean (SD) Condition