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Anyone ever get a waiver for greater then -8.00 refraction?

Beefalo

Registered User
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?
 

Beefalo

Registered User
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.
 

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
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.
 

Beefalo

Registered User
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.
 

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
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.
 

Beefalo

Registered User
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.
 

Beefalo

Registered User
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.
 

twobecrazy

RTB...
Contributor
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.

Well that is some good news. Hopefully it holds up! Good Luck!
 

Beefalo

Registered User
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.
 

twobecrazy

RTB...
Contributor
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.

Why not! It can't hurt! ;)
 

Beefalo

Registered User
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.
 

Beefalo

Registered User
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.
 
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