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Not correctable to 20/20

K

kj2008

New Member
I've searched through these threads over and over but I have been unable to find an answer to the problem I currently have. I went through OCS (USMC) this past summer with an Air contract. When I was sent to my flight phys in Newport, RI this past September, I failed my eye exam. I was 20/40 but uncorrectable to 20/20 in one eye. I ended up missing 2 letters during the cycloplegic eye exam. Recently I got a consult at a laser vision surgery center and was able to read 20/20 on their chart as I have always been able to read normal eye charts at 20/20. The good-lite charts that the military uses are more difficult. Basically the eye surgeon wasn't sure what to do with me because he didn't feel I needed PRK at all. I am going to go back for another eye exam at Newport fairly soon. Aside from rest and hydration, does anyone else have any tips for me that would help pass my exam or any ideas regarding PRK. Thanks.

Very Respectfully,
Ken Johnson
 
GO_AV8_DevilDog

GO_AV8_DevilDog

Round 2...
Contributor
As far as I know the cut off for pilot is 20/40. So try and pass the flight physical WITHOUT surgery first. Save yourself the money and the risk.. Worse case scenario, they turn you away, and then you know you need surgery.

try and save yourself the procedure and the waver process if you can.
 
FLYTPAY

FLYTPAY

Pro-Rec Fighter Pilot
pilot
None
I got PRK and am happy with the results. If it will get you what you want, I say do it. But only make that decision with input from the people who do the surgery and the ones who give the waivers afterwards.
 
torpedo0126

torpedo0126

Member
The thing is that you aren't correctable to 20/20. One of my best friends and I BOTH got PRK. I fortunately ended up with 20/10 in both eyes. My friend had one eye at 20/20 and the other at 20/26 uncorrectable to 20/40. She had to switch to NFO.

PRK (and LASIK for that matter) will, at present, only guarantee you 20/40. Anyone who guarantees you 20/20 is a quack. However, something like 92% of patients end up with 20/20 vision.

All of this doesn't matter though if you are not correctable to 20/20. Hopefully, you will pass the test, but just remember PRK does not guarantee you will be correctable to 20/20.

As a tip, moist eyes generally will be able to focus better than dry. So about 5 minutes before you go into the doc, put some moisture drops in your eyes. I really like Systane, but they are a premium brand (thus kinda pricey).
 
torpedo0126

torpedo0126

Member
I forgot to mention that my friend failed the same part of the exam you did (the ten rows of letters and they ask you to read one row??). She kept missing one letter. Worst case scenario, you could probably switch to NFO. However, the wait to class up for API for USMC NFOs is ~18-24 months.
 
jason6294

jason6294

New Member
torpedo0126 said:
As a tip, moist eyes generally will be able to focus better than dry. So about 5 minutes before you go into the doc, put some moisture drops in your eyes. I really like Systane, but they are a premium brand (thus kinda pricey).
Click to expand...

My doc suggested "Thera-tears" after my PRK surgery... Its like 10 bucks for a box of individual vials... Keep ur eyes hydrated and avoid strain... Also, just keep re-taking the test as much as they'll let you... It dosn't hurt to ask them to try again, b/c you only need to get it right once from what i understand.
 
K

kj2008

New Member
This is very helpful information. torpedo0126...any reason the docs wouldn't want you to put the drops in your eyes before you take the exam?
 
BACONATOR

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
kj2008 said:
This is very helpful information. torpedo0126...any reason the docs wouldn't want you to put the drops in your eyes before you take the exam?
Click to expand...

Read the NOMI waiver guide, but I'm fairly certain that while you may get away with it, putting drops in your eyes before an exam is prohibited. For example, there are drops that can temporarily improve your vision, and in general, eye drops improve your vision to some degree.

Can you do it? Sure. But if someone sees you do it, the test won't count and you may have to answer for a lack of integrity.
 
torpedo0126

torpedo0126

Member
OttoWrote8 said:
Read the NOMI waiver guide, but I'm fairly certain that while you may get away with it, putting drops in your eyes before an exam is prohibited. For example, there are drops that can temporarily improve your vision, and in general, eye drops improve your vision to some degree.

Can you do it? Sure. But if someone sees you do it, the test won't count and you may have to answer for a lack of integrity.
Click to expand...

I had no idea about this at all. I did it once after I had PRK because my eyes took about 9 months before they stopped drying out.

The reason I did 5 minutes before is because when I put them in for a few minutes my eyes would be really watery and it would cause me to blink a lot.

If that's prohibited by NAMI don't do it, but I would be interested to see what the regulation is. I mean what's the cut off? I will see if I can find the waiver guide...
 
BACONATOR

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
torpedo0126 said:
I had no idea about this at all. I did it once after I had PRK because my eyes took about 9 months before they stopped drying out.

The reason I did 5 minutes before is because when I put them in for a few minutes my eyes would be really watery and it would cause me to blink a lot.

If that's prohibited by NAMI don't do it, but I would be interested to see what the regulation is. I mean what's the cut off? I will see if I can find the waiver guide...
Click to expand...

I'll give you a clue: it's a sticky.

And as for the conduct of the test, that might be in the bowels of the NOMI website. Don't take my (or ANYONE except Doc's) word for it, but like I said, I'm pretty sure I read the above somewhere.
 
nugget61

nugget61

Active Member
pilot
I know theres a publication similar to the waiver guide that gives strict guidelines for how each test is to be administered, and I would assume that eye drops would be covered in the eye portion, however I can't find that pdf. Anyone have the link to it handy? (No, not the waiver guide)
 
BACONATOR

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
nugget61 said:
I know theres a publication similar to the waiver guide that gives strict guidelines for how each test is to be administered, and I would assume that eye drops would be covered in the eye portion, however I can't find that pdf. Anyone have the link to it handy? (No, not the waiver guide)
Click to expand...


Yes, it can be found on the following page, RIGHT UNDERNEATH the waiver guide: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navme...Pages/AeromedicalReferenceandWaiverGuide.aspx

And no, the drops aren't covered in the eye section: I checked. HOWEVER technically the "uncorrected" portion of the test can be interpreted as meaning drops are prohibited since they are a correction, of sorts. I can guarantee that no flight surgeon isn't going to wait patiently for you to get your drops in before the eye exam.
 
BACONATOR

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
nugget61 said:
If you're referring to the 6 page "Waiver Process" pdf, then no, that doesn't have the "strict guidelines for how each test is to be administered" as I stated earlier. The document that I'm talking about as large as the waiver guide is.
Click to expand...

Are you kidding me? It's the document RIGHT UNDER the one you're referring to. It's titled "Physical Exams and Standards". MAN I wish I wasn't too lazy to find the "was that so HARD?" google thing right now...
 
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