The Eyes have it - All things Vision-related

[TimeBomb]

SNA vision standards are manifold. Your distance visual acuity (DVA) MUST be 20/40 or better in each eye, AND correctable to 20/20. Additionally, the degree of nearsightedness cannot exceed -1.50 diopters. With a DVA of 20/50 and 20/70, you do not meet uncorrected visual acuity standards. You might be close on the diopter limit for your left eye, irrespective of your ability to get to 20/20 with corrective lenses. The ability to be corrected to 20/20 is irrelevant if you are outside the SNA baseline standards of 20/40 each eye.

You're probably within limits for refractive surgery, but a cycloplegic refraction is necessary to quantify the exact diopter numbers.

Waivers for SNA visual standards have not been recommended historically, but i have no idea as to current practice.

You are within standards for SNFO.

V/R

 

[MrCorsair]

SNA vision standards are manifold. Your distance visual acuity (DVA) MUST be 20/40 or better in each eye, AND correctable to 20/20. Additionally, the degree of nearsightedness cannot exceed -1.50 diopters. With a DVA of 20/50 and 20/70, you do not meet uncorrected visual acuity standards. You might be close on the diopter limit for your left eye, irrespective of your ability to get to 20/20 with corrective lenses. The ability to be corrected to 20/20 is irrelevant if you are outside the SNA baseline standards of 20/40 each eye.

You're probably within limits for refractive surgery, but a cycloplegic refraction is necessary to quantify the exact diopter numbers.

Waivers for SNA visual standards have not been recommended historically, but i have no idea as to current practice.

You are within standards for SNFO.

V/R

Understood. Looks like I need to start planning on surgery! If I remember, I’ll keep y'all updated on my journey to SNA!

 

[Gatordev]

Understood. Looks like I need to start planning on surgery! If I remember, I’ll keep y'all updated on my journey to SNA!

There's a LASIK thread somewhere around here. Bottom line: don't go for a cheap surgery!

 

[Mouselovr]

I am really focused on SNA, I want to be PIC. Since I am correctable to 20/20, and have 20/20 near vision uncorrected, perfect color vision etc, is it possible to get my distance acuity waived for SNA or is there no such waiver without surgery? I was re-reading the older posts you made on this thread to me, you said “if you don't naturally (or corrected via surgery) see a perfect 20/20 or exceed any of the "eye shape" parameters, you are required to wear corrective lenses.” Does this mean since I am correctable to 20/20 with my lenses, that I can be waived without surgery?

Sorry for all the questions, I am just confused with all the rules and corrected vs uncorrected stuff and what is waiverable/allowed.

You're good. There's a lot of weird nuisance to it.
If you have 20/20, no corrective lenses required.
If less than 20/20 but no worse than 20/40 and correctable to 20/20 = qualified + corrective lenses required.

Anything less = surgery

Its an easy waiver to get and very common.

 

[jjohnson87]

Good morning I have just recently went to Meps and am going to the board this July for SNA. When I did the eye exam at Meps they asked if I was wearing contacts and I said yes. However she did not make me take them out and I passed the test with perfect vision. I know for the NAMI eye exam you take your contacts or glasses off. If I fail the eye exam at NAMI will I be dropped from SNA or will the Navy allow me to get LASIK after OCS or will they roll me to NFO or some other job?

 

[Mouselovr]

Good morning I have just recently went to Meps and am going to the board this July for SNA. When I did the eye exam at Meps they asked if I was wearing contacts and I said yes. However she did not make me take them out and I passed the test with perfect vision. I know for the NAMI eye exam you take your contacts or glasses off. If I fail the eye exam at NAMI will I be dropped from SNA or will the Navy allow me to get LASIK after OCS or will they roll me to NFO or some other job?

If you cannot see within limits, you will be dropped from SNA.
You will be offered NFO if you are qualified for it. If you're not qualified or you don't want NFO, you will be offered another job.
Or you can DOR, get lasik then come back as an SNA.

I recommend everyone gets their eyes checked with a civilian doc eye prior to NAMI so that there are no surprises... but considering you already wear contacts, you likely already know your Rx.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Good morning I have just recently went to Meps and am going to the board this July for SNA. When I did the eye exam at Meps they asked if I was wearing contacts and I said yes. However she did not make me take them out and I passed the test with perfect vision. I know for the NAMI eye exam you take your contacts or glasses off. If I fail the eye exam at NAMI will I be dropped from SNA or will the Navy allow me to get LASIK after OCS or will they roll me to NFO or some other job?

Not putting you on the spot here but shouldn’t you have been briefed not to wear contacts at MEPS?

 

[jjohnson87]

Not putting you on the spot here but shouldn’t you have been briefed not to wear contacts at MEPS?

I asked my recruiter and he just said bring something to put them in. I did and the lady asked me about my contacts so I said I was wearing them but I have something to put them in and she said I was good to leave them on. I guess she just didn’t know what she was doing

 

[Mouselovr]

I asked my recruiter and he just said bring something to put them in. I did and the lady asked me about my contacts so I said I was wearing them but I have something to put them in and she said I was good to leave them on. I guess she just didn’t know what she was doing

Weird stuff happens at MEPS. Had a friend who failed the depth perception test the first time at MEPS because the HM didn't give them the glasses.....

General rule of thumb, do you see at 20/40 uncorrected or better? Then you would have passed the prelim SNA eye tests at MEPS. If no, consider NFO or LASIK

 

[MrCorsair]

Don’t know if this is the right thread to post but I have a few questions for y'all. So, I know I posted a week or so ago about my vision (20/70 in left, 20/50 in right) however my recruiter doesn’t seem to care? Basically what I mean is I went to MEPS, passed everything and they sent my medical chart from MEPS to my recruiter. I clearly didn’t pass the vision for SNA, (although they never said I failed) however, my recruiter hasn’t said anything about it. In fact, my recruiter even after MEPS still requested some paperwork and other stuff to submit to complete my package. I’m confused and worried because the last thing I want to do is to be accepted into OCS then inevitably get sent home to get laser eye or redesignate as something other than SNA. I’m going to text my recruiter, however I don’t really know what to say.

ALSO, before taking a risk with laser eye surgery, I would possibly like to try AF too since as of now I am still within standards for them. Could I try that and if it doesn’t work, can I come back, get laser, and go SNA? Again, if so, how would I go about that? I haven’t signed anything for the Navy yet. Haven’t been offered any positions etc. Could I atleast schedule to take the AFOQT and TBAS?

 

[Mouselovr]

If you aren't qualified for SNA from MEPS, you wont be allowed to submit a package for it.
And yes, there's no reason you couldn't talk to/ take the exam for different branches.

You can get lasik and reapply/go to MEPS to qualify for SNA
(Jeez people I feel like a broken record, read the last 3 pages of the forum where I've talked about lasik multiple times....)

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Don’t know if this is the right thread to post but I have a few questions for y'all. So, I know I posted a week or so ago about my vision (20/70 in left, 20/50 in right) however my recruiter doesn’t seem to care? Basically what I mean is I went to MEPS, passed everything and they sent my medical chart from MEPS to my recruiter. I clearly didn’t pass the vision for SNA, (although they never said I failed) however, my recruiter hasn’t said anything about it. In fact, my recruiter even after MEPS still requested some paperwork and other stuff to submit to complete my package. I’m confused and worried because the last thing I want to do is to be accepted into OCS then inevitably get sent home to get laser eye or redesignate as something other than SNA. I’m going to text my recruiter, however I don’t really know what to say.

ALSO, before taking a risk with laser eye surgery, I would possibly like to try AF too since as of now I am still within standards for them. Could I try that and if it doesn’t work, can I come back, get laser, and go SNA? Again, if so, how would I go about that? I haven’t signed anything for the Navy yet. Haven’t been offered any positions etc. Could I atleast schedule to take the AFOQT and TBAS?

Your recruiter did you wrong on several items, enough to make me question their abilities as a recruiter.

A few things about USAF, it looks like you are at the limit of their vision requirements. The USAF gives spots to USAFA, then AFROTC, and anything left to OTS. I know some that tried for a few years to get in, sometimes it is just luck.

I would just start checking out surgery now.

 

[MrCorsair]

Your recruiter did you wrong on several items, enough to make me question their abilities as a recruiter.

A few things about USAF, it looks like you are at the limit of their vision requirements. The USAF gives spots to USAFA, then AFROTC, and anything left to OTS. I know some that tried for a few years to get in, sometimes it is just luck.

I would just start checking out surgery now.

Yeah, it honestly hasn’t been the best experience tbh. But, I atleast would like to talk to them maybe schedule AFOQT/TBAS. And if it don’t work then I’ll get the surgery. Either way, it’s going to be a lengthy process no matter which route I go with.

 

[Average Monke]

Could I atleast schedule to take the AFOQT and TBAS?

You can certainly try the AF route, but don't expect it to be fast. AF recruiters are very busy and it common to be ghosted until the current packets are submitted for the upcoming board. Then you have to complete all the paperwork via the AFCEP, which is finicky and time consuming. You may be able to schedule the AFOQT/TBAS (taken separately) at AFROTC location, but I think it will have to complete the AFCEP stuff first. It's worth asking about, but definitely not a slam dunk.

 

[MrCorsair]

You can certainly try the AF route, but don't expect it to be fast. AF recruiters are very busy and it common to be ghosted until the current packets are submitted for the upcoming board. Then you have to complete all the paperwork via the AFCEP, which is finicky and time consuming. You may be able to schedule the AFOQT/TBAS (taken separately) at AFROTC location, but I think it will have to complete the AFCEP stuff first. It's worth asking about, but definitely not a slam dunk.

Oh I know. I’ve heard stories about how tedious it is working with AF officer recruiters. I am just trying to extinguish some options before opting to get laser surgery. I would prefer not to have to get it done, but if it comes to it, I will.