So I have been in the application process with the USMC for a while and it is coming down to the fact that I can most likely go to OCS in a few months with an air contract and go to flight school after OCS and TBS.
I can see great 20/20 and have passed all my flight physicals including eye exams. But, I do have a minor problem with my eye that I have not mentioned during my physicals. Basically, I had a scratch on my eye about a year ago, now every now and again, I get what is called a "recurrent eye erosion", which means that every once in a while if I let my eye get really dry, there is a spot where the skin on the eye does not quite want to attach itself to the cornea and if I rub it wrong, I can basically reopen the scratch and I'll be in pain and won't be able to see well out of one eye for a while.
This happens rarely and the eye doctor is pretty sure that the problem can be easily managed by applying drops in my eye every day to keep it from drying out. She thinks that eventually, the skin on my eye will heal itself and the problem will go away. I hadn't mentioned this in my physicals because I had hoped that by the time it was time for me to go to OCS, it would be better an no longer an issue. So far it is not 100% better and I am worried about how this might impact flight school.
The doctor has told me that there is a procedure where they basically remove the skin on the eye that does not want to reattach itself and then the skin will heal in about a week and my eye will be back to normal with no problems.
I am starting to get very concerned about what this might mean for flight school, but I don't want to start mentioning this to my recruiters and physical evaluators, as I do not want to get disqualified from flight school.
Should I get the surgery and fix the problem, and if I do then should I mention it or not since I have already taken and passed all my physicals and I won't be lying about anything by not telling them about the update? Should I just keep applying the drops in my eyes and manage the problem and hope it eventually heals itself? Or will this problem eventually lead to me being disqualified from pilot school, and thus I should rethink my application unless I plan to be on the ground?
Any help or insight is greatly appreciated!
I can see great 20/20 and have passed all my flight physicals including eye exams. But, I do have a minor problem with my eye that I have not mentioned during my physicals. Basically, I had a scratch on my eye about a year ago, now every now and again, I get what is called a "recurrent eye erosion", which means that every once in a while if I let my eye get really dry, there is a spot where the skin on the eye does not quite want to attach itself to the cornea and if I rub it wrong, I can basically reopen the scratch and I'll be in pain and won't be able to see well out of one eye for a while.
This happens rarely and the eye doctor is pretty sure that the problem can be easily managed by applying drops in my eye every day to keep it from drying out. She thinks that eventually, the skin on my eye will heal itself and the problem will go away. I hadn't mentioned this in my physicals because I had hoped that by the time it was time for me to go to OCS, it would be better an no longer an issue. So far it is not 100% better and I am worried about how this might impact flight school.
The doctor has told me that there is a procedure where they basically remove the skin on the eye that does not want to reattach itself and then the skin will heal in about a week and my eye will be back to normal with no problems.
I am starting to get very concerned about what this might mean for flight school, but I don't want to start mentioning this to my recruiters and physical evaluators, as I do not want to get disqualified from flight school.
Should I get the surgery and fix the problem, and if I do then should I mention it or not since I have already taken and passed all my physicals and I won't be lying about anything by not telling them about the update? Should I just keep applying the drops in my eyes and manage the problem and hope it eventually heals itself? Or will this problem eventually lead to me being disqualified from pilot school, and thus I should rethink my application unless I plan to be on the ground?
Any help or insight is greatly appreciated!
