vision req's for rescue swimmer - Topic Powered by eve community

Basic Training

Posted

"Distant Visual Acuity. Distant visual acuity shall be not worse than 20/200 in either eye and if worse than 20/20 must be correctable to 20/20 with spectacle lenses. When the visual acuity of either eye is worse than 20/20 correction shall be worn at all times while flying."

So what is 20/200 vision on the scale that the eye doctor gives you? I'm -7.0, but I am going to get my eyes corrected with lasers this summer, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Posts: 19 | Registered: Fri 21 September 2007

Ignored post by BrettFavre posted

TVCJohn

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by BrettFavre:
"Distant Visual Acuity. Distant visual acuity shall be not worse than 20/200 in either eye and if worse than 20/20 must be correctable to 20/20 with spectacle lenses. When the visual acuity of either eye is worse than 20/20 correction shall be worn at all times while flying."

So what is 20/200 vision on the scale that the eye doctor gives you? I'm -7.0, but I am going to get my eyes corrected with lasers this summer, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Young grasshopper and reponding crickets......

Ch 3, Fig 3-C-3 of the new Med Manual (not Avi Med Manual) lists all the requirements.

1. Candidates for Aircrew (An Airman applying for AMT, AST, AET) - 20/100 correctable to 20/20

2. Designated Aircrew (Once designated an AMT, AST, AET and for the rest of your aviation career) - 20/200 correctable to 20/20

For BrettFavre - Caution on the Laser (LASIK??) surgery. Verify with your local Flt Doc if your surgery will automatically disqualify you for aviation service. You might have a problem.

Aircrew Program Manager sends.....

Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sat 12 January 2002

Ignored post by TVCJohn posted

iliketoswim

Basic Training

Posted

well i should fit the bill. my eyes arent that bad.. i dont even wear glasses. should be able to get correctable lenses

Posts: 8 | Registered: Fri 14 September 2007

Ignored post by iliketoswim posted

Basic Training

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by BrettFavre:
quote:
Originally posted by TVCJohn:

For BrettFavre - Caution on the Laser (LASIK??) surgery. Verify with your local Flt Doc if your surgery will automatically disqualify you for aviation service. You might have a problem.

Aircrew Program Manager sends.....

What does Flt stand for? I'm not familiar with a Flt Doc.

It doesn't make any sense that I would be disqualified from any aviation service after Lasik eye surgery corrects my eyes to 20/20 vision. There is probably an exception for people that have successful surgery.

I better tell my sister, she already joined the Coast Guard with the hopes of becoming an AST. She has worse vision than me.

I also read this: "The Coast Guard will consider sending candidates to Navy Flight School who have had photorefractive keratectomy, (anterior corneal stromal surface laser ablation with no stromal flap), and meet all of the enrollment criteria."

So there is a certain kind of eye surgery that is allowed, but I would have to join the Navy to go to aviation school?

Posts: 19 | Registered: Fri 21 September 2007

Ignored post by BrettFavre posted

boarder19

Basic Training

Posted

But you can't wear glasses in the water can you? And I've heard contacts wouldn't be good in salt water.
I'm DQd anyway so it doesn't really matter, just curiosity....'cause it didn't really kill the cat.

Posts: 150 | Registered: Mon 16 October 2006

Ignored post by boarder19 posted

TVCJohn

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by BrettFavre:
quote:
Originally posted by BrettFavre:
quote:
Originally posted by TVCJohn:

For BrettFavre - Caution on the Laser (LASIK??) surgery. Verify with your local Flt Doc if your surgery will automatically disqualify you for aviation service. You might have a problem.

Aircrew Program Manager sends.....

What does Flt stand for? I'm not familiar with a Flt Doc.

It doesn't make any sense that I would be disqualified from any aviation service after Lasik eye surgery corrects my eyes to 20/20 vision. There is probably an exception for people that have successful surgery.

I better tell my sister, she already joined the Coast Guard with the hopes of becoming an AST. She has worse vision than me.

I also read this: "The Coast Guard will consider sending candidates to Navy Flight School who have had photorefractive keratectomy, (anterior corneal stromal surface laser ablation with no stromal flap), and meet all of the enrollment criteria."

So there is a certain kind of eye surgery that is allowed, but I would have to join the Navy to go to aviation school?

Sorry about that.....

Flt Doc is slang for the Flight Surgeon. I recommend talking to a CG Flight Surgeon to get the lastest facts. Also....Sully22 might be able to find out the facts. He is the AN Detailer. All roads to aviation schools go thru him.

Also, the Navy might have different requirements than the CG for eye surgery waivers. I can't speak for them.

Either way....good luck.

Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sat 12 January 2002

Ignored post by TVCJohn posted

Basic Training

Posted

Thanks TVCJohn for the info. I'll check with my recruiter to see if he can get the phone number to a Flight Surgeon.

I was over at the other military message boards, and it sounds like there are two different types of eye procedures. One is Lasik, and the other is PRK. Lasik disqualifies you from most military jobs that require good vision. PRK is alright and does not disqualify you. I'll check with the surgeon to see if this is the case for the Coast Guard as well.

Posts: 19 | Registered: Fri 21 September 2007

Ignored post by BrettFavre posted

gila134

Basic Training

Posted

BrettFavre,
I currenlty have glasses as an AST and looking at getting it surgically corrected. I know that for a fact that Lasik will disqualify you. However you may get PRK done. I would wait until after getting in the CG. That way they'll pay for it. Hope that helps.

Posts: 4 | Registered: Thu 04 October 2007

Ignored post by gila134 posted

sully22

Basic Training

Posted

shawn.d.sullivan@uscg.mil
I will be standing by brettfavre if you want to contact me.

Posts: 247 | Registered: Thu 20 June 2002

Ignored post by sully22 posted

iliketoswim

Basic Training

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by gila134:
BrettFavre,
I currenlty have glasses as an AST and looking at getting it surgically corrected. I know that for a fact that Lasik will disqualify you. However you may get PRK done. I would wait until after getting in the CG. That way they'll pay for it. Hope that helps.

so what do you do while you swim?? special goggles?

Posts: 8 | Registered: Fri 14 September 2007

Ignored post by iliketoswim posted

gila134

Basic Training

Posted

I have a prescription for my mask

Posts: 4 | Registered: Thu 04 October 2007

Ignored post by gila134 posted

fas3

Basic Training

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by BrettFavre:
Thanks TVCJohn for the info. I'll check with my recruiter to see if he can get the phone number to a Flight Surgeon.

I was over at the other military message boards, and it sounds like there are two different types of eye procedures. One is Lasik, and the other is PRK. Lasik disqualifies you from most military jobs that require good vision. PRK is alright and does not disqualify you. I'll check with the surgeon to see if this is the case for the Coast Guard as well.

BretteFavre, I looked into this as well. After researching on here, the Health Services Tech Forum (which is a good place to post if you have questions regarding such medical type req's) as well as with a recruiter I learned that Lasik is disqualifying, and PRK is only acceptable when done at a military facility by a military doctor. I almost signed up for PRK before I learned this and would have been screwed. If your vision is withing the aviation req's (20/100) don't do anything. If not, then ask your recruiter when and where the PRK operation is allowed. If you don't know how your vision is, go to lenscrafters or a similar type place offering eye exams (any eye doctor is fine). Have them do a full screening, color blindness, depth perception, astigmatism ect. Tell the doctor you are going into aviation and need to know how your vision is before entering, they should know what to do. An exam should run about $40 bucks without insurance, not a bad price to learn if your able to try for the job your signing your contract intending to get. On a side note, I was told the wait time for a PRK procedure could run up to two years at a military facility. Ask your recruiter or post on the HS board if you have questions about the time.

Posts: 26 | Registered: Fri 15 September 2006

Ignored post by fas3 posted

Basic Training

Posted

Thanks for the excellent information fas3. My vision is worse than 20/100, so I will require the PRK surgery. That is a bummer that there is probably a 2 year waiting list. I'm relieved that I didn't get Lasik surgery done yet. That would have been more of a bummer.

Posts: 19 | Registered: Fri 21 September 2007

Ignored post by BrettFavre posted