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Help with eye issue, future SNA. NAMI Ophthalmologist

soccerman816

Well-Known Member
I appreciate your help with anything you can give me. Even if it’s just a referral to another person. I’ll chase it down! This is my last-ditch effort, as I have to make decisions very soon. Even if you screenshot this post and text it to your buddy at NAMI, that's helpful.

I am in a quandary. I have never worn glasses because I had to, just because they helped me read license plates at night as a police officer. I see just fine in the day and the majority of things at night without them. They help with nighttime reading at a distance for small details. Now I find out through my proactivity, I find I could have something worse.

I submitted my packet months ago in July for the aviation board for SNA and NFO. I went to MEPS and they passed me with no issue. I, being my proactive minded self, went to get my eyes evaluated for LASIK because I knew I had astigmatism. This is when I had my first corneal topography done. The nurse said I had astigmatism and I needed to see the ophthalmologist. He said based on my age, 25, that if I see as well as I do and I have never had a problem it was irregular astigmatism but a doctor in the military without specialization may diagnose it as Keratoconus (KC) bubbling it up to a much bigger problem with big Navy. The only way to see this is a corneal topography scan. The only job in all of the military that does a topography scan that I am aware of is SNA... Well, I was selected this week for SNA and not looked at for NFO due to the SNA offer. While great on paper, I have an issue.

As you may know, KC is disqualifying for not just SNA but the entire military as a whole. I wouldn’t even have put in for SNA (even with it being my dream) if I knew prior. I fear that I get to OCS and NAMI DQ’s me from a chance at the military all together when I guess I could put in for the next board for NFO only and have no fear and work a 30-year career successfully. I don’t want to ruin my chance at the service when I know there is an opportunity around if.

I have my most recent topography scans, recent measurements, and my MEPS paperwork with redacted personal information, and can send them for advice. If you have a NAMI Ophthomolgist, I would kill for that connection, just to tell me what they see and what they don't. Looking for advice or anonymous professional opinions wherever I can find them.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
To clarify and break this down:

- You have an astigmatism (lots of applicants do).

- You have corrected 20/20 vision that meets the requirements.

- You have been accepted as a SNA.

- There's a chance you might get misdiagnosed with a condition that you don't have, but you have recent paperwork showing the diagnosis would be in error.

- The absolute worst case if the mis- (or otherwise) diagnosis came to be and couldn't be reversed is that you're sent home with no obligation or nothing really lost.

So, what's the problem? I may have misunderstood the KC part, but it sounded like you already had the scan and it showed you didn't have KC, so if another one is done, it should show the same thing, no?

I would make sure the paperwork you got from your ophthalmologist specifically states/rules out KC. That could force a medical review by NAMI, should someone misinterpret an exam on the Navy side.

I'm sure @TimeBomb has experience with this.
 

soccerman816

Well-Known Member
In a nutshell, yes, my fear is my doctor said I am borderline. I believe his words were something like “I am giving you a very liberal diagnosis with your topography scans and the fact that you are easily correctable to 20/20. If I were to diagnose you with KC, it will follow you forever, which is not what I want for you if you can still get in. I believe as an SNA if would draw attention with a negative result and personally I would only pursue the NFO opportunity. As an NFO if they don’t do the scans, you may go about a happy career with 0 issues, or they have you get corneal cross-linking done later on if it were to become an issue and that’s it. Many pilots have it and never know until they are 40 and they finally find it. You would be typically late in your KC changing if you do in fact have it. We just gotta get you in and you can navigate past it.”

Basically I gathered scans would be borderline.

I was told by a general flight surgeon (not ophthalmologist) who saw my scans and said “the navy’s ideology is why to invest in a guy who has potential degenerative eye disease like KC when the next guy in line has no issues”

"- The absolute worst case if the mis- (or otherwise) diagnosis came to be and couldn't be reversed is that you're sent home with no obligation or nothing really lost."- @Gatordev In response to this, "nothing really lost" is my chance at a military career because you can't redes without one. I believe as of 2020 KC JUST became waiverable and no one I have talked to has gotten it upon commission, only people who are already in and have re-enlisted/re-signed.

I found this picture on google. I have normal vision WITHOUT glasses, when I have glassess or contacts in I don't see ANY problem. I have seen so many pictures and none of which I see like.

27406

27405
 

UInavy

Registered User
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
I believe as of 2020 KC JUST became waiverable and no one I have talked to has gotten it upon commission, only people who are already in and have re-enlisted/re-signed.
"WAIVER: Waivers will typically not be considered for applicants with suspected, forme fruste, frank keratoconus, or corneal disease, but may be considered in designated personnel if visual acuity is 20/20 or correctable to 20/20 with spectacles." From:
 

soccerman816

Well-Known Member
"WAIVER: Waivers will typically not be considered for applicants with suspected, forme fruste, frank keratoconus, or corneal disease, but may be considered in designated personnel if visual acuity is 20/20 or correctable to 20/20 with spectacles." From:

"Not typically considered" and "but may be considered" in the same quote. @UInavy I have read that many times.

-Both of which apply to me.
This is why I was hoping to find a NAMI knowledgable person (MD/Tech, anyone) to find out what makes that differentiation on who is considered and who is not. If I am not, is there the potential to redes? Will it ruin my military chances all together?
Would they suggest going through the board again and submitting to the NFO board to avoid this altogether?
 

UInavy

Registered User
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
"may be considered in designated personnel " unfortunately doesn't apply to you yet. By 'designated', NAMI means 'Winged'. Think back to what your friend told you about the Navy considering this in terms of an investment. They've already invested in designated personnel and may consider that a waiver is worth it to get some usage out of their investment prior to the disease progressing.

NAMI is going to tell you what they consider for aviation personnel, all that info is in the linked ARWG. NFOs are subject to the same ARWG. If they don't find out about your KC (or lack thereof) from a topography scan, it's over to you and your conscience how much you tell them of your history. You're going to have to find a different source for the rest of Navy medical (non-aviation) and other services. Most these resources are very, very accessible via Google.
 

soccerman816

Well-Known Member
"may be considered in designated personnel " unfortunately doesn't apply to you yet. By 'designated', NAMI means 'Winged'. Think back to what your friend told you about the Navy considering this in terms of an investment. They've already invested in designated personnel and may consider that a waiver is worth it to get some usage out of their investment prior to the disease progressing.

NAMI is going to tell you what they consider for aviation personnel, all that info is in the linked ARWG. NFOs are subject to the same ARWG. If they don't find out about your KC (or lack thereof) from a topography scan, it's over to you and your conscience how much you tell them of your history. You're going to have to find a different source for the rest of Navy medical (non-aviation) and other services. Most of these resources are very, very accessible via Google.

This is insightful, thank you.

When I called NAMI in Pensacola, they advised that NFO's have no topography scan because there is no astigmatism requirement. From this I am gathering, it's in my best interest to reapply for NFO only...

Its almost as if me being proactive and scoring well enough has punished me by having to wait longer and resubmit. The cutoff for resubmission to the board was yesterday, but we had a hurricane on the gulf coast and my recruiter and everyone has been out of the office. Can't catch a break. Will it look bad if I decline the SNA offer for NFO board?
 

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
From this I am gathering, it's in my best interest to reapply for NFO only...
Chances are if you go to OCS for NA and get DQed, they will offer to re-designate you as NFO if you medically qualify. This has always been the case with the Navy since NFOs came into existence. So just go to OCS, let NAMI do the test and take it from there.
 

soccerman816

Well-Known Member
Chances are if you go to OCS for NA and get DQed, they will offer to re-designate you as NFO if you medically qualify. This has always been the case with the Navy since NFOs came into existence. So just go to OCS, let NAMI do the test and take it from there.

Totally agree, except KC is disqualify for the military all together. Not just SNA. So they won’t let me re-designate. @exNavyOffRec advised he has seen multiple candidates bounced from the service when they suspected it at OCS.
 

soccerman816

Well-Known Member
Missed that part. Sorry, disregard.

No worries.

I just feel like I have no where else to turn. You guys here are connected and have a wealth of knowledge. Very appreciative of the opinions.

Just missed the next board submit deadline Friday because of the hurricane took my recruiter has been out since Tuesday because of it. Idk if they make exceptions for natural disasters etc.
 
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