Flying for the military/airlines with corrective lenses?

cathead

cathead

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cathead
Is it possible to fly for the military or the airlines with corrective lenses?
 
Airlines, sure. Military... last I checked, no. But that was a while back.
 
I'll let Evil or 35 comment on the other services but there isn't a problem flying with glasses or contacts in the Army. When I applied in 99 they weren't allowed but now they are. LASIK and PRK are allowed as well. As long as you are corrected to 20/20, there isn't a problem.
 
I personally know 2 people in the AF that wear contacts and fly. And I also maintain simulators for AF pilot training and see students wearing glasses. So I would say sure you could.
 
Last I knew, the military would let you continue flying as a pilot after your vision deteriorated to needing glasses to see 20/20, but not to start without 20/20 uncorrected. There are some laser eye surgery options with some services, but not all services and not all surgery types, so be sure you know what the allowable options are before you let someone start cutting on your eyeballs.

And, of course, there are the USAF Navigator and USN/Marine NFO options, which can put you in the second seat of a fighter type with glasses as long as your correctable to 20/20. I had 2000 hours of fun doing that.

As for the airlines, I think these days they're taking just about anything down to 20/200, maybe 20/400, uncorrected as long as you are correctable with glasses or contacts. to 20/20 for the FAA First Class medical.
 
Here's your reference for the Army's class 1 / 1A vision standards:

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/armedfly/blvision.htm

Used to be 20/20 across the board with no glasses or contacts. I think around 2002 they lowered the vision standards. You can get LASIK / PRK but you'll need a waiver. Had several students operating on a surgery waiver so I don't think they're hard to get. Only problem these days is getting picked up. Army acceptance rates are very low right now and with last weeks announcement of eliminating 3 out of 13 aviation brigades, it isn't going to get better anytime soon.
 
For vision correction - be sure to select PRK instead of LASIK.
Your corneas remain structurally intact with PRK.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
Why not find out directly from the military!?
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Easier said than done. Most recruiters don't really know and are likely to provide bad info. Here we have at least a couple of current AF and USN aviators who can point the OP in the right direction.

35 AoA should have the most current info, but over 10 years ago, the Navy was taking guys off the street with crappy vision and giving them PRK and then sending them off to flight school.

Unfortunately, by the time they started doing that, I was too old to apply (to be elligible, you have to be able to earn your wings by a certain age - 27 I think it was). So I stayed on the surface.
 
cathead said:
Is it possible to fly for the military or the airlines with corrective lenses?
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I would say yes to both questions, but the real answer for military flying is that it depends.

More details would be nice.




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I'm sure if you ask the recruiter to provide you with the printed requirements he can produce them verses taking his word for it. Or it's possible the requirements are right here on the govt. Websites. I wouldn't trust the info here any more than I would the recruiter.
 
I'm not sure about other branches but if your thinking Marine Corp flying, don't talk to a recruiter, they probably will not know and may try to steer you towards enlisted options.

You need to talk to an Officer Selection Officer, I think there is one office in each state. I know not all that long ago, 3 years or so, they were begging officer candidates to go the flying route. The Marine Corp used to be, and I think still is, the only branch that will guarantee you a flying spot before going to OCS.

I believe PRK and LASEK (not LASIK) are approved with a waiver. Also IIRC, some branches are OK with < 20/40 corrected to 20/20 but check directly with an OSO.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
I'm sure if you ask the recruiter to provide you with the printed requirements he can produce them verses taking his word for it. Or it's possible the requirements are right here on the govt. Websites. I wouldn't trust the info here any more than I would the recruiter.
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I've been on the 'inside' for over 14 years now. While there is a fair amount of BS spread around here, I'd still trust guys like 35 AoA and Evil Eagle over just about anyone in a recruiting billet (officer or enlisted).
 
byrdman said:
I'm not sure about other branches but if your thinking Marine Corp flying, don't talk to a recruiter, they probably will not know and may try to steer you towards enlisted options.



You need to talk to an Officer Selection Officer, I think there is one office in each state. I know not all that long ago, 3 years or so, they were begging officer candidates to go the flying route. The Marine Corp used to be, and I think still is, the only branch that will guarantee you a flying spot before going to OCS.



I believe PRK and LASEK (not LASIK) are approved with a waiver. Also IIRC, some branches are OK with < 20/40 corrected to 20/20 but check directly with an OSO.
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USMC still offers aviation or ground tracks for OCS/TBS, assuming you qualify for aviation. Doesn't mean you'll complete the program in an airframe, much less a fixed wing airframe.

My son just went through the process at A&M.

I'm still active duty AF; for the answer to military flying, the answer is it depends, or put differently, corrective lenses are not necessarily disqualifying.

I'd like the OP to provide more information and I'll gladly reference AFI 48-123 (Aerospace Medicine), which will provide the definitive answer (yes, yes with waiver, no) for all Air Force flying class physicals. I don't know the other services' Instructions/regulations that cover the subject, though.

Or, the OP can go to e-publishing.af.mil and search for 48-123 and review it him/herself.




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Yup, what TCABM said. Not necessarily DQ worthy, it depends what problem they are correcting.
 
Fearless Tower said:
I've been on the 'inside' for over 14 years now. While there is a fair amount of BS spread around here, I'd still trust guys like 35 AoA and Evil Eagle over just about anyone in a recruiting billet (officer or enlisted).
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Thanks for the vote of confidence.
 
I joined Army Aviation with 20/50 correctable to 20/20. That was the upper limits for the initial eye exam. After training you can go down to 20/400 correctable to 20/20 no issue. I also had the Army pay for my PRK after Afghanistan and now i see 20/15 in both eyes.
 
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