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Flying with Contact Lenses

Rugby_Guy

Livin on a Prayer
pilot
What kind of contacts (brands I guess) do people prefer? I've never worn contacts before, but trying to fly the ball with foggy/sweaty glasses is getting old. I have an optometry appointment to get my prescription set, but I've been told that I'll have to pay for them out of my own pocket. They are expensive enough that I'd like some input from people who wear contacts while flying about the brand they prefer to wear so I don't get $100 box of contacts and use only 1 or 2 sets before trying s different brand because of an avoidable oversight.
 

Pags

N/A
pilot
Mrs Pags optometrist would usually give her a pair or two of lenses to try out before making a big buy. Plus, an optometrist may be able to narrow your choices based on your eyes shape, lense requirements, etc.
 

Hopeful Hoya

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Yeah when I had contacts I would always get a week's worth of testers to try out before deciding on a brand. Personally I thought the dailies were very much worth the extra expense, it was so much easier not having to worry about losing one, keeping them clean, what to do with them at night if I was somewhere without a case/solution, etc. I used Acuvue Moist 1-Days and I was very happy with them, every year I would try out different brands and I always kept coming back to them.
 

CommodoreMid

Whateva! I do what I want!
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Yeah as a military aviator the gubmint should be footing the bill for your contacts. I got mine covered starting in flight school when I got the blessing to wear them from the optometrist in flight until I had LASIK last year. I wore Acuvue Oasis and they were pretty money.
 

Rugby_Guy

Livin on a Prayer
pilot
Maybe I have it wrong, but I was under the impression that the navy will provide glasses, and that's it. That the optometrist will do contact lens fittings as a favor to active duty, but that they won't pick up the bill.
 

DocT

Dean of Students
pilot
I didn't pay for contacts and would get a 3 month supply at a time. I finally gave them up and got LASIK.

You may need a waiver for them because of frequent use of NVDs or whatever but you shouldn't be paying for contacts.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I've flown with contacts for 25 years. Glasses suck in the cockpit, and I don't know why anyone would fly with them. When you're on flying orders, your command generates a letter that goes to Optometry and you'll get free lenses. Wouldn't sweat the type too much, they're all more or less the same, IMO.
 

RobLyman

- hawk Pilot
pilot
None
I've flown with contacts for 25 years. Glasses suck in the cockpit, and I don't know why anyone would fly with them. When you're on flying orders, your command generates a letter that goes to Optometry and you'll get free lenses. Wouldn't sweat the type too much, they're all more or less the same, IMO.
Presbyopia and NVGs.
 

pourts

former Marine F/A-18 pilot & FAC, current MBA stud
pilot
As for the brand, I think that is a very personal decision. I ended up with some that had a small weight on the bottom to fix astigmatism. I forget what they were called, but they were pretty expensive (though the government paid).

I do remember getting some shit form the civilian office manager at Beaufort Optometry though. It was a small base, and they had some kind of annual or quarterly contact lens limit. It wasn't guaranteed, and they also weren't keen on buying the gucci lenses when average lenses supposedly should have worked good enough. I also didn't get my first set of lenses until the FRS. I used glasses at the boat in the T-45.

Then I got PRK after my first fleet tour and never worried about it again. Don't take no for an answer, you need contacts. Especially once you start flying with NVGs.
 

CommodoreMid

Whateva! I do what I want!
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I've flown with contacts for 25 years. Glasses suck in the cockpit, and I don't know why anyone would fly with them. When you're on flying orders, your command generates a letter that goes to Optometry and you'll get free lenses. Wouldn't sweat the type too much, they're all more or less the same, IMO.

This. If you get the letter you're good. As far as brand it depends on your eyes. When I was in high school I developed a case of giant papillary conjunctivitis (google that for some gross pictures) so the brand of contacts I needed to mitigate the long term effects of that was pretty specific, which often can be a lifelong issue if you get it once, and the Navy still granted me the ability to wear contacts in the plane and also paid for them.
 

Rugby_Guy

Livin on a Prayer
pilot
Went to optometrist to get eye exam and all. They fitted me for contacts and wrote me a prescription, but said Navy medicine won't pick up the cost until I am winged. Until then, it's out of pocket.
 
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