ANG Enlisted to Pilot advice
03-04-2011, 02:36 PM
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Posts: 272
Let me ask the flight doc standing next to me. Who wears glasses and/or contacts and fly’s F-16's and C-130’s. Not as pilot as flight doc.
In his opinion... he would get the slot, go to UPT, go to FTU, fly a year or two and then apply for corrective surgery with flight medicine.
Flying jets or aircraft with contacts or glasses is not that big of deal, many do it. There are 10 pilots within 50 ft of me right now that have glasses. Most of us wear sunglass without problems.
As far as the referral – The Air Force generally sends a person getting corrective eye surgery to a civilian doctor who has been approved by them. They simply don’t have the equipment and qualified personnel to perform this type of procedure at most bases if any.
In his opinion... he would get the slot, go to UPT, go to FTU, fly a year or two and then apply for corrective surgery with flight medicine.
Flying jets or aircraft with contacts or glasses is not that big of deal, many do it. There are 10 pilots within 50 ft of me right now that have glasses. Most of us wear sunglass without problems.
As far as the referral – The Air Force generally sends a person getting corrective eye surgery to a civilian doctor who has been approved by them. They simply don’t have the equipment and qualified personnel to perform this type of procedure at most bases if any.
03-04-2011, 04:53 PM
#42
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 55
Originally Posted by daldude
Let me ask the flight doc standing next to me. Who wears glasses and/or contacts and fly’s F-16's and C-130’s. Not as pilot as flight doc.
In his opinion... he would get the slot, go to UPT, go to FTU, fly a year or two and then apply for corrective surgery with flight medicine.
Flying jets or aircraft with contacts or glasses is not that big of deal, many do it. There are 10 pilots within 50 ft of me right now that have glasses. Most of us wear sunglass without problems.
As far as the referral – The Air Force generally sends a person getting corrective eye surgery to a civilian doctor who has been approved by them. They simply don’t have the equipment and qualified personnel to perform this type of procedure at most bases if any.
In his opinion... he would get the slot, go to UPT, go to FTU, fly a year or two and then apply for corrective surgery with flight medicine.
Flying jets or aircraft with contacts or glasses is not that big of deal, many do it. There are 10 pilots within 50 ft of me right now that have glasses. Most of us wear sunglass without problems.
As far as the referral – The Air Force generally sends a person getting corrective eye surgery to a civilian doctor who has been approved by them. They simply don’t have the equipment and qualified personnel to perform this type of procedure at most bases if any.
so I can get hired on as a pilot in the ANG and go to UPT without having corrective surgery? I must have to fall within certain criteria of eyesight to be able to do this. You can't fly with like 20/200 vision and wear glasses, can you?
All this research I have been doing on this forum and many others talks about needing PRK/LASIK before flying in any branch. Heck, if I could fly the way I am right now with glasses/contacts I'd say screw wasting the money on surgery.
Please clarify more on this.
03-04-2011, 07:35 PM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,100
Originally Posted by HawkJ2010
Woah woah woah wait a minute... my mind is being blown right now...
so I can get hired on as a pilot in the ANG and go to UPT without having corrective surgery? I must have to fall within certain criteria of eyesight to be able to do this. You can't fly with like 20/200 vision and wear glasses, can you?
All this research I have been doing on this forum and many others talks about needing PRK/LASIK before flying in any branch. Heck, if I could fly the way I am right now with glasses/contacts I'd say screw wasting the money on surgery.
Please clarify more on this.
so I can get hired on as a pilot in the ANG and go to UPT without having corrective surgery? I must have to fall within certain criteria of eyesight to be able to do this. You can't fly with like 20/200 vision and wear glasses, can you?
All this research I have been doing on this forum and many others talks about needing PRK/LASIK before flying in any branch. Heck, if I could fly the way I am right now with glasses/contacts I'd say screw wasting the money on surgery.
Please clarify more on this.
03-05-2011, 06:35 AM
#47
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Posts: 272
You will definitely be getting a waiver with the eye surgery no matter when you have it performed. I will defer back to one of my earlier post. Go talk to a flight surgeon. We clearly are not providing the answers you need. I do know the AF academy is performing the surgery prior to UPT on cadets who qualify. However they are already in the military.
03-05-2011, 07:27 AM
#48
trip trading freak
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Position: MD-11
Posts: 673
Originally Posted by HawkJ2010
Yeah... I'm pretty sure my uncorrected eyesight is not 20/70. No way to check without going in for an exam though.
you can google air force eye exam and get the info you are required to have.
here's one
Air Force Flying Physical Examination Standards
Print it out and take it to a civilian eye doctor, or go to a civilian eye doctor that is in the guard or reserve. Call your local guard or reserve unit's medical section and get the Optometrist's name. Most likely he/ or she will have their own private practice. They will know the requirements. Have them give you a full exam covering all of the entrance requirements. Expensive but well worth the price. That way it is not on any permanent military record.
I had depth perception issues and was able to take eye therapy for about 3 months before I took my entrance exam. Good luck
Pakage
03-05-2011, 11:45 AM
#49
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 55
Originally Posted by Pakagecheck
Hawk,
you can google air force eye exam and get the info you are required to have.
here's one
Air Force Flying Physical Examination Standards
Print it out and take it to a civilian eye doctor, or go to a civilian eye doctor that is in the guard or reserve. Call your local guard or reserve unit's medical section and get the Optometrist's name. Most likely he/ or she will have their own private practice. They will know the requirements. Have them give you a full exam covering all of the entrance requirements. Expensive but well worth the price. That way it is not on any permanent military record.
I had depth perception issues and was able to take eye therapy for about 3 months before I took my entrance exam. Good luck
Pakage
you can google air force eye exam and get the info you are required to have.
here's one
Air Force Flying Physical Examination Standards
Print it out and take it to a civilian eye doctor, or go to a civilian eye doctor that is in the guard or reserve. Call your local guard or reserve unit's medical section and get the Optometrist's name. Most likely he/ or she will have their own private practice. They will know the requirements. Have them give you a full exam covering all of the entrance requirements. Expensive but well worth the price. That way it is not on any permanent military record.
I had depth perception issues and was able to take eye therapy for about 3 months before I took my entrance exam. Good luck
Pakage
G-R-E-A-T info... thanks guys.
Guess its up to my eyes and myself to get the spot now. Ha
03-05-2011, 01:13 PM
#50
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 55
"20/70 is the standard. If you are 20/70 or better, you meet standards. If you are worse than 20/70, but 20/200 or better you are waiverable (and these waivers are basically a formality). If you are worse than 20/200 then it's time for PRK or LASIK"
I found this on another forum that was written a while ago. I believe I am worse than 20/70 but not 100% on that or not. However, if I am worse than 20/70 (and I know I'm better than 20/200) how do I go about getting a waiver prior to applying for a UPT slot in the ANG?
I found this on another forum that was written a while ago. I believe I am worse than 20/70 but not 100% on that or not. However, if I am worse than 20/70 (and I know I'm better than 20/200) how do I go about getting a waiver prior to applying for a UPT slot in the ANG?
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