Im near sighted as hell. Unfortunately my refraction being so great did not qualify me for SNA and SNFO. I asked the military optometrist about corrective surgery but he said since my refraction was greater then -8.00 even if I was 20/20 post surgery it wouldnt matter. Regardless if I fly or not I am going to get corrective eye surgery. Does anyone know of any other services who would accept a waiver?
Well looks like I am done. I read in the NAMI waiver guide anything greater then -8.00 is disqualifying for initial entry into Class I (SNA) or II (SNFO) aviation even after surgery corrects me to 20/20. Hell anything greater than that is disqualifying from even enlisting or getting a commission in the Navy according to the medical manual chapter 15! So Id be out of luck from even joining the Navy! Luckily for me I enlisted into the Navy prior to my vision going that bad and the regs only apply to initial entry into the Navy not after you've already been in much like if I was already a winged NFO it wouldnt matter as long as I could correct to 20/20. Just sucks something I have no control over is my limiting factor. The optometrist at NAMI did say I could probably get a waiver for a non-flying commission though.
I was in your position. My -9.00 diopters blocked me from NFO, but I was able to get a waiver for another designator.
What field did you go with? Were you a prior enlisted? Im considering IW, Oceanography, or Intel. This is for the sta-21 program. If I dont make any of those ill also apply for LDO when eligible.
I got the waiver originally for Nuke, but ended up AMDO. I really don't see it being an issue, especially since you're already in the service.
Yea the Doc said I could probably get a waiver for anything that doesnt involve flying. I plan on getting the surgery anyways so maybe a year or two from now the regs will change or some experimental study will be done again like they did with PRK years ago. A guy on here got NFO as a civilian when no waivers were allowed for LASIK at the time so anything is possible I hope.
Well I went to go get a consult for PRK and my biannual? eye exam from a different military optometrist (read not NAMI). He said I should be a good candidate for PRK since I have pretty thick corneas. He also said my prescription was closer to -7.50. I go back in a month for another exam with the opthamologist. If he gives me the same prescription and PRK fixes me to 20/20 I wonder if I can re-take the NAMI flight physical? -7.50 would put me within the -8.00 for the pre op refractive limit.
Thanks! I am going to try to do some vision improving exercises before then in the hopes of if Im at -8.00 I stay there or slightly improve. Most people say its quack work but I figure it cant hurt to try.
No not really but I only did it for a few weeks. Some of the exercises seem a bit off the wall and you are supposed to do it everyday. They are supposed to strengthen your cilnary muscles or whatever muscle its called that is responsible for focusing your vision but when you get dilated for cycloplegic exam that disables those muscles anyways. Just a short update went in for my PRK exam and my left eye checked out at -8.50. Should have done this sooner as my last official eye exam 2 years ago was -8.00 which was right at the limit for pre-op PRK limits for aviation. Doc said the opthamologist would probably be 50/50 chance of doing it on me since this might mean my vision hasnt stabalizied yet but ill find out next month when I meet the opthamologist. Anyhow chances of pilot or NFO are shot but at least I might be able to fix being so damn blind.
Sorry I'm late to the party but I do recall someone a while back that got a waiver for the -8 to get a waiver for the PRK... I'll try to dig up that thread edit: here it is: http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/sh...Eyesight-issue?p=545888&highlight=#post545888 Unfortunately I don't know what happened with the sna applicant, but you could definitely get in on another designator. Good luck.
Looks like he got a waiver for SWO. When I did my NAMI whammy physical the military optometrist said I could probably get a waiver for something non-aviation especially since Im already in the Navy. I would love to go NFO but I think the -8.00 pre-PRK requirements apply for both SNA and SNFO.
It seriously sucks. I cant do shit without corrective lenses. Its like being drunk 24/7 in the sense that everything is a blur. Who wants to be drunk 24/7? Oh wait what??
Just an update I have my PRK eye surgery scheduled for June. All paid by the Navy. The scheduling guy said in some areas the wait time can be up to a year but down here in the southeast there really is no wait time. Im only waiting a month and thats because they do these sessions in groups. My official myopia is -8.50 in my left eye and -7.75 in right. 6 months post surgery I am going to try to apply for NFO again. Chances are probably slim to none but it cant hurt to try with better vision. Doc said my vision should have a good chance of being 20/15 or 20/20 after surgery. I think the -8.00 thing has something to do with the flap of the eye coming open during high G manuevers. Maybe if I apply for the Flying CWO NFO I would have a better chance at a waiver since it only applies to P3's.
OK guys, I am resurrecting this thread. A couple days ago, a credible source linked me to a Navy Medical Manual that stated the pre-op refractive limits for Class I SNA are -6.00, not -8.00. On the NAMI waiver it specifically states -8.00. I technically qualify for the NAMI waiver at -7.00 in one eye. But, according to the person that informed me, NAMI won't even see your case unless you meet requirements in this Navy Medical Manual. They report conflicting requirements though and I don't understand it. Can anyone confirm this? Here's the Medical Manual link: http://www.brooksidepress.org/Products/ManMed/Changes/manmed change 126.pdf The article in question is 15-36 (2) And here's the NAMI waiver guide: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navme...ments/Waiver Guide - Ophthalmology 100505.pdf It's not that I don't believe the person, I do, and that is what is scaring me. I just want some more input because I just found out about this after lurking on AirWarriors for about 2 years now.
Just an update for those interested. I got PRK and am seeing 20/20 in both eyes. Unfortunately the nice lady from Nami in Pensacola said the two eye docs in Pensacola who are both Commanders did not recommend my waiver due to "pre-op refractive limits." My left eye was -8.50 prior to surgery. After 7 years in the Navy my path in aviation is officially dead.
