The Eyes have it - All things Vision-related

[Austin-Powers]

Pilot requires 20/40 but must be correctable to 20/20.

I will get PRK then.

 

[UInavy]

I will get PRK then.

https://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmotc/nami/arwg/Documents/WaiverGuide/12_Ophthalmology.pdf

Go to section 12.15. Your requirements are under 'Applicant.'

 

[Senorpatio]

Hey Docs, I greatly appreciate any feedback.

So I am PROREC Yes for SNA. I got a PQ last November from NAMI and attached it to my package. While waiting to attend OCS, NAMI said they wanted more information about my lattice degeneration. (My medical record showed minimal scarring and thinning of my left retina) To provide more information to NAMI, I was referred to a doctor out in town and he says I'll need laser surgery to fix the lattice degeneration within a month. Will this be Dis-Qualifying? My retina isn't torn, doesn't have tears or holes but is "thin" according to the doctor.

The Navy Aeromedical Reference and Waiver guide seems to say this is waiverable with surgery and followups, but I wanted to hear a doc's opinion. I should also note that I'm Active Duty enlisted, in case that changes anything.

 

[Hair Warrior]

 

[Gatordev]

The "Need to fly" one is a trick question. The correct answer is: "Ebola."

 

[ed_98]

Hello!

So a few weeks back I had an interesting (more like scary) eye issue. Finally today was my appointment with an ophthalmologist, I explained what happened and he told me that what I experienced was an ocular migraine... is that going to be an issue if I'm giving everything I got to to shoot for an SNA slot?

The ocular migraine only lasted like 40 minutes and it went away after I took a nap. First time that happened and I don't have a history of I guess "normal" migraines. I'm 23.

 

[nipunsharp]

My flight physical in process at NAMI. I have a scar on retina, no thinning. Will post when I get an update. Newport flight surgeon cleared me as qualified.

 

[SE_53]

I'm an SNA select set to go to OCS in Nov. I went to my eye doc and got completely checked out and have good vision but she did find a choroidal nevus on one of my eyes. Here is what the NAMI standards say about choroidal nevus':

Choroidal Nevus – Typically a benign retinal entity with a low possibility of malignant transformation. Routine monitoring is required to discover any changes in a timely manner. Choroidal nevi are typically CD/WR, with due consideration for the presence of high risk transformation factors.

My question is if anybody here knows how common these waivers are handed out and if they are easy to get?

Thanks

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I'm an SNA select set to go to OCS in Nov. I went to my eye doc and got completely checked out and have good vision but she did find a choroidal nevus on one of my eyes. Here is what the NAMI standards say about choroidal nevus':

Choroidal Nevus – Typically a benign retinal entity with a low possibility of malignant transformation. Routine monitoring is required to discover any changes in a timely manner. Choroidal nevi are typically CD/WR, with due consideration for the presence of high risk transformation factors.

My question is if anybody here knows how common these waivers are handed out and if they are easy to get?

Thanks

This is something you need to tell your recruiter about and have him submit documents, there is a status sheet you will have to fill out asking if you have been to the doctor and any changes in medical status, this falls under that.

Sooner the better as it will probably need to go up for review.

 

[Highlander51]

I have a random question that no one seems to have asked/answered.

If you arrive in Pensacola and your vision has degraded beyond 20/20 but is correctable will they NPQ you or simply give you a prescription and let you continue on training? I know this is a basic question but I haven't seen it answered.

 

[ea6bflyr]

I have a random question that no one seems to have asked/answered.

If you arrive in Pensacola and your vision has degraded beyond 20/20 but is correctable will they NPQ you or simply give you a prescription and let you continue on training? I know this is a basic question but I haven't seen it answered.

If you are 20/40 and correctable to 20/20, you can continue as an SNA. If your eyesight is >20/40, you may be switched over to SNFO.
The Aeromedical Waiver Guide has all the requirements listed for each category: Physical Standards

Visual Acuity, Distant and Near: Uncorrected visual acuity must not be less than 20/40 each eye, correctable to 20/20 each eye using a Sloan letter, crowded, eye chart (Goodlite). Vision testing procedures shall comply with those outlined on the Aerospace Reference and Waiver Guide Physical Exams section.

Refractive Limits: If uncorrected distant visual acuity is less than 20/20 either eye, a manifest refraction must be recorded for the correction required to attain 20/20. If the candidate’s distant visual acuity is 20/20, a manifest refraction is not required. Total myopia may not be greater than -1.50 diopters in any meridian, total hyperopia no greater than +3.00 diopters in any meridian, or astigmatism no greater than -1.00 diopters. The astigmatic correction shall be reported in minus cylinder format.

 

[Highlander51]

If you are 20/40 and correctable to 20/20, you can continue as an SNA. If your eyesight is >20/40, you may be downgraded to SNFO.
The Aeromedical Waiver Guide has all the requirements listed for each category: Physical Standards

Thanks for referencing the AWG, I had already looked at it but my main question was not what it said. My question is what NAMI would do with you if it was worse than 20/20 out to 20/40, I have never heard of anything being given a prescription for glasses/contacts at NAMI and I didn't know if that was their way of saying that if you're beyond 20/20 that they would drop you or just keep you but correct your vision to 20/20 via glasses/contacts.

 

[hdr777]

I have never heard of anything being given a prescription for glasses/contacts at NAMI

I already had glasses, but got a new prescription at nami, that's also where I got my first set of aviation frames

 

[ea6bflyr]

Thanks for referencing the AWG, I had already looked at it but my main question was not what it said. My question is what NAMI would do with you if it was worse than 20/20 out to 20/40, I have never heard of anything being given a prescription for glasses/contacts at NAMI and I didn't know if that was their way of saying that if you're beyond 20/20 that they would drop you or just keep you but correct your vision to 20/20 via glasses/contacts.

They wont drop you, you'll get a prescription and move along. Where I got tripped up for my SNA flight physical was my astigmatism. While my eyesight was 20/40, my astigmatism was > 1.00. I was NPQ for pilot, thus I became an NFO.

 

[Highlander51]

They wont drop you, you'll get a prescription and move along. Where I got tripped up for my SNA flight physical was my astigmatism. While my eyesight was 20/40, my astigmatism was > 1.00. I was NPQ for pilot, thus I became an NFO.

Ok, thank you! As of right now my vision is still 20/20 and I'm hoping it stays that way but I'm one of the older prior enlisted guys and I've had my vision go from 20/15 when I enlisted at 17 to now 20/20 at 27. I know it will continue to deteriorate over time but it appears to be deteriorating slowly which I'm hoping gets me through flight school. Thanks for the info