My left eye

[Matt S]

Hey all, I recently went down to Pensacola for my initial flight physical. While there I failed the eye test. I have astigmatism in my left eye -2.5 or something??? It is also 20/50 so it put me out of getting SNA. My right eye is fine. They did however clear me for SNFO. My question now is what to do? I have completed OCS and am scheduled to commission in August. My OSO said that PRK is risky and could put me out of the running to commision at all???? He didn't really elaborate on why, but I trust him so I didn't really ask too many questions. He told me to take the SNFO contract and go get fitted for contacts. I don't know what this will do for me as far as getting an SNA spot once I sign on for SNFO. I heard it is very hard to switch from SNFO to SNA. NFO sounds like an awesome job too, but i've wanted to be a pilot my whole life and I feel I have come to far to just let it slip away if I can still do something about it. What would you suggest if you were in my shoes? I'm hoping someone has been in a similar position and can help me out. Thank you
S/F
Matt

 

[sevenhelmet]

Not sure why PRK would be risky, but I do know you'll need 3-6 months to recover and a waiver from NOMI before you'll be trainable- it might even delay your commission if you were to get it now. OTOH, without it, switching to SNA will be impossible. The FO to SNA switch is tough enough to do right now anyway. The last guy I knew who did it was some locked-on mofo from Duke and got straight 100s on all his API tests.

Not trying to step on your hopes and dreams at all, but you'll need to be physically qualified (20/40 or better, correctible to 20/20) and #1 in your API class to have them even think about letting you switch to SNA. In your shoes, I think I'd take the SNFO contract and try to get into Super Hornets.

 

[Ex Rigger]

Not trying to step on your hopes and dreams at all, but you'll need to be physically qualified (20/40 or better, correctible to 20/20) and #1 in your API class to have them even think about letting you switch to SNA.

This is not applicable to the USMC. Sign on as a SNFO.......your going to be a SNFO.

 

[sevenhelmet]

This is not applicable to the USMC. Sign on as a SNFO.......your going to be a SNFO.

Ah, I did not pick up on the fact that he is USMC. My mistake.

 

[Firebert]

I had the exact same thing (crappy left eye and my right was 20/20) and I am now flying in Meridian. You must get the OK from someone to get your eyes fixed (I was in NROTC and had to get my CO to sign off), then you must get a new flight phyical AND a new USMC physical for commissioning. Like I said, I was in ROTC and it may be different steps for you. It is a little bit of paperwork for you and your OSO, but it is worth it if you want to fly and spend about $1500 on a good doctor to laz your eyes.

But who is to say that you will get all that done and get poked in the eye during night land nav at TBS....

and yes you will need 3-6 months to heal before your new physicals

 

[dhorse1500]

I got a quick question, did you get a cyclo eye exam before you went to OCS?

 

[Matt S]

Yes I did have a cyclo done a couple years ago when I entered the program. According to that I had astigmatism too -1.7. I don't know why I got through back then because the cut off is supposedly -1. I think my old OSO might have just pushed it through without telling me. I did squeeze out a 20/40 with that doc, but that was a civilian doc not a NAMI doc. I am going to try and get the OK to get PRK and get the flight spot back. I heard there is a LASEK procedure that has been approved now and it doesn't involving slicing up the old eye ball??? That would be nice, because I don't like the idea of someone cutting on my eye.

 

[NapalmRat]

Similar Dilemma

I have a similiar dilemma to yours, altho i think mine is a + diopter with the whole cyclo part of the test...damn farsightedness. But I just got off the phone with the OSO and they told me no LASIK is allowed for air, only PRK. You have to give guidelines to ur doc, have all that nonsense taken care of before u can do anything. Then, as said above, you'll need 3-6 months (they do 30, 60, and 90 day tests to see if your stable) to recover, and my friend who got PRK said you'll be on eye drops for about 3 months. Then you'll have to re-take the aviation eye test, aviation physical, and get a PRK waiver done. But it is possible, i'm contracted right now as an NFO and am also trying to move up to pilot. It might be a slow ongoing process but it is possible for Marines.