marine aviation eyesight...?

[jfk]

arite, just talked w/ my oso, and he tells me the eye req. are 20/30, w/ prk waivers only being offered for those whose eyesight was good enough before the surgey was done.
how true is this, i thought it was 20/40, w/ prk waivers pretty easy to get for those w/ bad vision beforehand.

 

[Coner]

i know this has nothing to do with the question above, but does anyone know if you can go into canadian or mexican airspace on your cross country flight?

 

[EA-6B1]

LOL. Nice, Coner, I just busted out laughing. Made my night. That was the last thing I expected.

 

[reapergm]

JFK, thats B.S. Man, I am convinced OSOs do not want us to get PRK. I dont know why though. But I did EXTENSIVE research on it, called everyone in the NAVY who would pick up the phone.... and found it was good to go. My OSO finally caved in.. called the local flight doc and confirmed. I am scheduled to get it on the 24th!!!! So I am taking the risk... and yes it is a risk. You have to realize that it maked you a waivered applicant. Someone with your stats and no waiver is your immediate competition! So its chancy. But hey, its my dream.. if its yours too... go for it!

 

[DBLang]

There IS a limit to how bad your sight can be before the procedure reapergm. However its MUCH worse than 20/30...maybe 20/400 or something like that.

 

[jfk]

alright reaper, thats what i like to hear!
my current vision is 20/30 in one eye, and 20/40 in the other, w/ a slight astigmatism.
i'm planning on getting my physical in december over at jax NAS, so i'm wondering if should try and slip by w/ my current vision, and maybe get a waiver for it, or....
get the prk asap, and go for that waiver.

i really need some advice guys, as i have to get started on PLC package pronto.

 

[wildflyin69]

Guys, the limit is not based on your 20/whatever number, it's based on your refraction number. Basically, I believe that your pre-op number had to be better than +/-6.00. The NAMI sites have all the regs.

 

[E5B]

JFK, get your package going now, you can always switch it to ground before you commission. Thats what I did.

 

[riley]

JFK - I don't know that much about PRK - listen to reaper - he's probably been through more BS in this process than others go through in a lifetime.

The requirement is 20/40 uncorrected, corrected to 20/20 (that is a fact). I don't know what the refractive error is - but I think it is greater than +/- 1.00 (don't hold me to that). You get PRK done if your vision isn't within these requirements - not if it is (well, I guess it is your choice if it is at the outer limits) - I don't know what the guy has been smokin' that told you that 20/30 line.

I think wildflyin is right about the refractive error being the main factor for PRK.

My main point is don't give up - if someone tells you "no" - and you don't like that answer, it is usually just a stumbling block and not a brick wall.

 

[TNWhiskey]

Riley, the Air Force number is 20/40...the Navy/USMC number is 20/30...I went to Whidbey NAS for my flight physical and 20/30 uncorrected was the limit I was told.

 

[texag02]

my eyesight was something horrible like 20/300 or worse, i dont remember, and i refractive error was in the high 2s or low 3s, again, dont remember. i went ahead and had PRK done fro two reasons - 1, i was told by my OSO that he hadnt seen a PRK not get a waiver, and 2, with the training and schooling schedule, getting it done before i went in was about my only opportunity until about 3 years after OCS. i dont have my waiver but i've been told i'm good to go. but i donth ave my wings yet, so who knows how it will end

 

[jfk]

this is all good info guys, thanks.
however, im still stuck on whether the the req is 20/30 or 20/40, cause it seems i'm on the line.
so i dont know whether to go ahead and get the physical in jax, or get prk first.
so once i find out the requirements, i'll know where to go. should i just call nami?

 

[wildflyin69]

I'd be careful about being on the line....from what I've been hearing civilian docs seem to be a little more lenient on determining what 20/30 is as compared to military docs. And if you get NPQ'd on that flight physical, well....that'd really blow....

 

[SliderSD]

Ya know what. You guys have been busting your n*ts about this whole eye thing. Either you gotta em or you don't. Good luck to you.

To Coner- Asking about if you can fly across the borders on a cross-country. Yes you can, but to do so you stop at the international border, like Brown air-field in San Diego. They inspect your plane. Check for drugas etc. Then they will clear you into the TJ airfield and into Mexico. Enjoy!

 

[Penguin]

Folks,
Here are the standards from the NAMI guide. If you look for these on the site, make sure you go to the exams section, not the Aeromedical Waiver Guide. The numbers in the decreased visual acuity (DVA) section of the Waiver Guide are for personnel already designated. Us wannabes need to look under the SNA requirements section of the exams pages. Anyway, here goes:

DVA
20/40 (minus zero) on Goodlite chart, each eye, corrected to 20/20 minus (zero) or better each eye. If uncorrected vision is less than 20/20 each eye the correction must be worn while flying

REFRACTION

edited May 01
(Cycloplegic) Myopia no more than -1.50 any meridian. Hyperopia no more than +3.00 any meridian. Astigmatism no greater than -1.00 cylinder. Both cycloplegic and manifest refraction must be recorded. The same refractive error standards apply to both examinations. Avoid overcorrection--record refraction to 20/20 each eye. Refraction to best acuity may exceed standards. (see MANMED 15-65, p. 15-48)


So, unless someone knows something NAMI doesn't, it's 20/40 correctable to 20/20, as long as you also don't exceed the refraction numbers. REMEMBER: If you even think you may be close to the limits, make sure you have a cycloplegic (eyes dialated) exam, because this determines the refraction. Manifest refraction, i.e. looking at the chart on the wall w/o being dialated first, is only part of the exam they'll do for the flight phys. Been there, done that times 2.

LTJG G.