The Eyes have it - All things Vision-related

[number9]

I'm a recently-commissioned reservist and I've had bad eyesight (myopia and, later, astigmatism) for as long as I can remember. I've finally had enough and want to do something about it.

If I pay for it on my own dime, do I need the Navy's "permission" to get LASIK?

 

[wink]

...may be downgraded to SNFO.

Agh! Downgraded? ? I am convening a committee of retired NFOs and petitioning to have your NFO wings window decal summarily scrapped off.

 

[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.

Sadly for Marines there is no SNFO route anymore, we’re strictly SNAs now

 

[WannaFlyHigh]

Sadly for Marines there is no SNFO route anymore, we’re strictly SNAs now

Wow why is that? Is it because they're shifting to single seat airframes now?

 

[WannaFlyHigh]

If your eyesight is >20/40, you may be downgraded to SNFO.

Do they give you the option to DOR or redesignate to non NFO position once you get to Pensacola and fail the SNA flight physical?

 

[Highlander51]

Wow why is that? Is it because they're shifting to single seat airframes now?

Yep, F-18 was our last NFO seat and they’re going away. And to the best of my knowledge if you don’t qualify for SNA you get dropped

 

[wink]

Yep, F-18 was our last NFO seat and they’re going away. And to the best of my knowledge if you don’t qualify for SNA you get dropped

After you completed TBS, of course.

 

[Highlander51]

After you completed TBS, of course.

Ha, no I assumed they would just let me hop right on past TBS ?

 

[ea6bflyr]

Agh! Downgraded? ? I am convening a committee of retired NFOs and petitioning to have your NFO wings window decal summarily scrapped off.

Yeah, I guess I should have said switched….?????‍♂️

 

[TF7325]

Do they give you the option to DOR or redesignate to non NFO position once you get to Pensacola and fail the SNA flight physical?

You can DOR at anytime, but to answer your question- yes you can.

 

[WannaFlyHigh]

You can DOR at anytime, but to answer your question- yes you can.

Congrats on your recent winging! I'm surprised they give you the option to DOR anytime considering the money they put into flight training. Are there strings attached?

Also I was reading some past posts about redesignating and got the impression that you can most probably only redes into SWO, AEDO, AMDO roles. If I wanted to go into something like IWC roles, I would have to reapply. Is this true?

 

[wink]

Are there strings attached?

You will always have your original 8 year total obligation of some sort. You would keep your commission and are sent to the non drilling IRR. If you want to just walk away. You name is on a list somewhere and you just live your life as you please. Or you can participate in the drilling Reserve in some other capacity. If you can't get a designator in an active duty lateral, get out, go to SELRES and try to get into that designator as a Reservist.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Congrats on your recent winging! I'm surprised they give you the option to DOR anytime considering the money they put into flight training. Are there strings attached?

Also I was reading some past posts about redesignating and got the impression that you can most probably only redes into SWO, AEDO, AMDO roles. If I wanted to go into something like IWC roles, I would have to reapply. Is this true?

There are several variables, how far along, what is available, why you can't be a SNA, etc.... there have been many times where only SWO was an option and if not SWO then you head home. In most cases I knew about it was SWO or Supply if a person couldn't be in aviation.

 

[umijs]

I've been searching around for information and I am getting confused.

For SNA, I read that as long as your refractive error is less than + or - 8.00 then you are good to go and can get LASIK or PRK if needed. However, I also read that if your uncorrected vision is worse than 20/40, you are DQ. This sounds like conflicting information to me. If you get LASIK and your vision is now 20/20, wouldn't that mean pre-op LASIK was your "uncorrected" vision and post-op is your "corrected"? So why would anyone with 20/40 or better vision bother getting lasik? I was under the impression that those with worse than 20/40 can get lasik and not be DQ from SNA.

Or, am I reading this all wrong? Can you be worse than 20/40, get LASIK, and then still qualify for SNA even though your "pre-op" "uncorrected" vision didn't fall within 20/40 or better?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

SNA, I read that as long as your refractive error is less than + or - 8.00 then you are good to go and can get LASIK or PRK if needed. However, I also read that if your uncorrected vision is worse than 20/40, you are DQ.

I think you are confusing requirements for LASIK surgery versus requirements for aviation.