Ok here is my deal. I'm 21 years old right now and my dream my entire life has been to become a Naval Aviator. My HUGE issue is my eyesight, it pretty much sucks. I correct to 20/20 with no other weird problems but my vision is about -9.75. I am in the process of meeting and getting exams by different eye docs as well. I have already kind of figured with my vision like that, there is no way I will ever get to fly however now what I am wondering about is if I can even serve in the military at all. I still very much want to serve even if I cannot fly. If anyone has any insight I'd greatly appreciate it!
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My Situation: Eyesight issue
- Thread starter Adam25sc
- Start date
torpedo0126
Member
I have a friend in the Marines who went to Canada to get LASIK because the FDA has not approved the Excimer laser for his level of astigmitism (the laser is capable of it, approval has just been slowed by red tape).
Granted he wasn't a pilot, but his medical paperwork went through just fine and he commissioned on time.
Possibly that is something you could look into because I believe the Excimer laser used in PRK can correct beyond -10.0. However, I don't know if the Navy puts a limit on how bad your eyes can be to start.
Granted he wasn't a pilot, but his medical paperwork went through just fine and he commissioned on time.
Possibly that is something you could look into because I believe the Excimer laser used in PRK can correct beyond -10.0. However, I don't know if the Navy puts a limit on how bad your eyes can be to start.
My eyesight is equally as bad as yours..no other eye problesm, just super nearsighted. I had to have an eye consult after my MEPS physical to make sure there was no sign of "eye pathology" and had to get a medical waiver. I'm pretty sure that if you are not going into aviation you'll be okay, but I know that there are restrictions on how bad your vision can be prior to surgery. And LASIK is not an option for aviation. Only PRK.
well the first step is admitting you have a problem...
so now that you got that out of the way on to step two: do something about it.
So I found out on Monday that my vision waiver was denied due to excessive refraction. So I called the waiver people at NRC (which I wasn't supposed to do, apparently, and they made sure I knew it). Anyway, if your "spherical equivalent" is beyond -10.00 you won't qualify for a waiver. So I'm fighting it like hell and will do whatever it takes to get this damn thing.
At 9.75, you'd fall within the range to get a waiver. Anything beyond -8.00 but less than -10.00 requires one. And my vision is -10.50.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
At 9.75, you'd fall within the range to get a waiver. Anything beyond -8.00 but less than -10.00 requires one. And my vision is -10.50.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
You can get a waiver (spherical) to obtain a waiver(prk)?
Yes, you can get a waiver (diopters) and then get PRK on the Navy's dime. Not sure if you can get the vision waiver and PRK waiver prior to OCS though. I guess if they'd do it after, they'd do it before, but I'm no authority on it...
Adam,
Yeah, it really sucks. Like, why would God decide "Yeah, maybe she shouldn't ever be in the Navy...or any other branch of service, for that matter" and give me really crappy eyeballs, instead of something more dramatic, like a missing arm or something.
I am also on sailorbob, and have been posting a lot over there on my situation. The "current Director of Navy Staff, former Chief of Naval Personnel and soon-to-be Commander of US Fleet Forces Command" has read about my case and is going to try to do something to get me through. I'm fortunate enough to have already been pro rec'd so maybe he can help me get this stupid waiver.
Anyway, keep pushing! If this is something you really want, DON'T GIVE UP. Good Luck!
Adam,
Yeah, it really sucks. Like, why would God decide "Yeah, maybe she shouldn't ever be in the Navy...or any other branch of service, for that matter" and give me really crappy eyeballs, instead of something more dramatic, like a missing arm or something.
I am also on sailorbob, and have been posting a lot over there on my situation. The "current Director of Navy Staff, former Chief of Naval Personnel and soon-to-be Commander of US Fleet Forces Command" has read about my case and is going to try to do something to get me through. I'm fortunate enough to have already been pro rec'd so maybe he can help me get this stupid waiver.
Anyway, keep pushing! If this is something you really want, DON'T GIVE UP. Good Luck!
FYI: After a week of stress over this waiver, I just got word that my wiver has been approved! To anyone (esp Adam) with "excessive refraction" keep pushing! Your persistence will show determination and more people will be willing to help. In my case, 2 ADM's that I have never met a day in my life called around today...yesterday I was NPQ, today I qualified!
Good luck to everyone!
Good luck to everyone!
Congrats. I don't know if they'll pay for PRK, but if you have waiver now that says you can get PRK so that you can get a waiver... well you've cleared one hurdle at least.
If this is your prescription, then your cyclo will likely be within the -10 limit, which is probably where you got the -9ish numbers. It's usually a little less dramatic than your prescription, and it's the number that counts, so you're probably okay.
john_doza
New Member
This made me laugh for some reason.
It's reassuring to know that people with vision way worse than my pathetic -7.50 are pro rec'd . :icon_smil