Sunday, January 6, 2013

could I join the army if I have bad vision but fix it with lasik eye surgery?

Q. I wanted to join the army, but my vision is so bad, I can't even read something a foot away from me so I am near sighted. I wanted to get lasik eye surgery and if all goes well I wondered if I could join the army. I also wanted to go to college a become a FBI profiler. I know my plan sounds complicated but that's what I want to do.

A. If you join the army and qualify for it, they will pay for your lasik eye surgery. You have to get checked out at MEPS first.


Can you get laser eye surgery to correct vision after severe orbital cellulitis?
Q. When I was 3 I had severe orbital cellulitis and took away 20% of my vision. Can I get laser eye surgery after that?

A. Laser eye surgery can only fix the same thing that glasses and/or contact lenses can fix. So if you can see 100% perfect with glasses or contacts, then yes the surgery will help you. Laser eye surgery alters the very front surface of your eye to add or subtract the power that your eye needs or lacks to see clearly.

However, I am guessing that the orbital cellulitis damaged some part or your retina, optic nerve, or another part of your visual pathway that has caused you to permanently lose 20% of your field of vision. This is a neurological thing that CANNOT be fixed by laser eye surgery. As you know, nerves and pathways in the brain are very sensitive and at this point in technology, we are unable to repair such things. This is also the case with losing a part of your field of vision. Unfortunately, once it is gone, it is gone forever.

But for the 80% of vision you do have, the laser eye surgery can fix that portion of your vision to 20/20 if you do need glasses or contact lenses to see clearly. But it is just not going to do anything for the 20% you are missing.

If you are interested in laser eye surgery, the best thing to do is speak with your regular eye doctor (optometrist). They know your history and your eyes and would be best able to tell you if you would be a candidate.


Is there eye surgery to fix my vision?
Q. My left eye is perfect vision but my right eye is kinda fuzzy. My right eye looks off into the distance a little, but not very much. So i was wondering if there is any type of eye surgery that can straighten my eye and make my vision better...? I really want the vision to be better in that eye. Also, i am a 16yr old male if that makes any difference. Please answer.

A. You need a full eye exam to determine exactly what condition that eye is in, and what your options are.

No one can guess at it.


Does laser eye surgery disqualify you from being a military pilot?
Q. I have done some reading about some pilot programs in a few of the military branches. I came across something interesting that stated: If you have had laser eye surgery in the past, you are disqualified from becoming a pilot. Is this true?

My next question is, if it is in fact true, why would that disqualify you? Laser eye surgery can correct your vision back to 20/20 and that's what pilots are suppose to have correct? So wheres the logic in that?

A. Army (Rotary Wing)
The Army has very few fixed-wing aircraft. The vast majority of Army pilots are helicopter pilots. Army Aviators must pass a Flight Class I Flying Physical. To enter Army Helicopter Flight Training, as either a commissioned officer or warrant officer, the applicant can have vision no worse than 20/50 (correctable to 20/20) in each eye. After flight training, pilots can remain on flight status as long as their vision does not deteriorate beyond 20/400 (correctable to 20/20).

Normal depth perception and normal color vision is required.

Like the other branches, it is possible to apply for Army Flight Training and/or remain on flying status with laser eye surgery, if one is accepted into the Army's Aviator Laser Eye Surgery Study Program.

Air Force
To enter flight training, a candidate must pass a Flight Class I Flying Physical. To become a pilot, that means the candidates vision can be no worse than 20/70 (correctable with glasses to 20/20) in each eye. To enter Navigator Training, the candidate can have vision no worse than 20/200 in each eye (also must be correctable to 20/20).

After flight school, the standards relax a little. Pilots and Navigators who have already graduated flight training, can remain fliers as long as their vision doesn't deteriorate beyond 20/400 in each eye (correctable to 20/20).

Normal depth perception and color vision is required.

Effective May 21, 2007, applicants who have had LASIK eye surgery are no longer automatically disqualified from flight training. See related article.


Navy and Marine Corps
The Navy and the Marine Corps use the same standards (The Marines do not have their own medical department. They use the Navy for all medical procedures and standards). Navy Pilots must pass a Class I Flying Physical. To become a pilot in the Navy or Marine Corps, an applicant's uncorrected vision can be no worse than 20/40 (correctable to 20/20) in each eye. Once flight training begins, vision can deteriorate to no worse than 20/100 (correctable to 20/20) in each eye. After flight training graduation, if the eyesite deteriorates worse than 20/200 (must be correctable to 20/20), the pilot will require a waiver for carrier operations. If the vision deteriorates past 20/400 (correctable to 20/20), the pilot is restricted to aircraft with dual controls (ie, aircraft with co-pilots).

For Navigators (called "NFOs" or "Navy Flight Officers"), there is no vision requirement to enter flight training. However, the Navigator's vision must be correctable to 20/20 and there are limits on refraction. Refraction must be less than or equal to plus or minus 8.00 sphere in any meridian and less than or equal to minus 3.00 cylinder. No more than 3.50 anisometropia. After flight training, to continue on flight status there is no limit on refraction for NFOs. No waivers are authorized for NFO applicants who exceed these refraction limits.

Normal color vision is required for both NFOs and pilots. Normal depth perception is required for pilots and pilot applicants.

The Navy allows laser eye survery, both for current pilots and NFOs, and for pilot/NFO applicants, if they apply for, and are accepted to participate in the Navy's on-going study about laser eye surgery for aviators.

Hope this helps





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