Pilot Vision Requirements

HopefulCadet

HopefulCadet

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Joined
Sep 18, 2019
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Hello all, I am new to this forum so I will try to figure this all out. I'm sure there have been plenty of vision threads on here but I was unable to find one pertaining to vision similar to mine, although I easily could've missed it. I am applying to USAFA and AFROTC, hoping to eventually become a pilot. My contact prescription is a -2.00 in my right eye and a -2.75 in my left eye. Does this disqualify me? Can I get a waiver? My eye doc upped me from -2.50 to -2.75 in the left eye a year or two ago and said the only real difference I will notice is my night vision. Not sure if that info is pertinent or not though.
 
You have to have 20/20 vision or correctable to 20/20 in order to be a pilot. The academy offers lasik (or whatever it is called) to cadets who want to fly but don’t have the “perfect” eyesight.

However, don’t go out and get Lasik surgery yourself because you will be DQ’d. The surgery has to be done through the academy.
 
HopefulCadet said:
Hello all, I am new to this forum so I will try to figure this all out. I'm sure there have been plenty of vision threads on here but I was unable to find one pertaining to vision similar to mine, although I easily could've missed it. I am applying to USAFA and AFROTC, hoping to eventually become a pilot. My contact prescription is a -2.00 in my right eye and a -2.75 in my left eye. Does this disqualify me? Can I get a waiver? My eye doc upped me from -2.50 to -2.75 in the left eye a year or two ago and said the only real difference I will notice is my night vision. Not sure if that info is pertinent or not though.
Click to expand...

What is your visual acuity without glasses?

What is your full eye glasses prescription? Need to know if you have any astigmatism and that info can be taken from your eye glasses prescription
 
HB2019 said:
You have to have 20/20 vision or correctable to 20/20 in order to be a pilot. The academy offers lasik (or whatever it is called) to cadets who want to fly but don’t have the “perfect” eyesight.

However, don’t go out and get Lasik surgery yourself because you will be DQ’d. The surgery has to be done through the academy.
Click to expand...

Right on, yeah I'll definitely wait for that waiver! Thank you!
 
GoCubbies said:
HopefulCadet said:
Hello all, I am new to this forum so I will try to figure this all out. I'm sure there have been plenty of vision threads on here but I was unable to find one pertaining to vision similar to mine, although I easily could've missed it. I am applying to USAFA and AFROTC, hoping to eventually become a pilot. My contact prescription is a -2.00 in my right eye and a -2.75 in my left eye. Does this disqualify me? Can I get a waiver? My eye doc upped me from -2.50 to -2.75 in the left eye a year or two ago and said the only real difference I will notice is my night vision. Not sure if that info is pertinent or not though.
Click to expand...

What is your visual acuity without glasses?

What is your full eye glasses prescription? Need to know if you have any astigmatism and that info can be taken from your eye glasses prescription
Click to expand...

I'm not sure actually, I'll call my eye doc tomorrow and see if he can tell me that. I really only ever wear contacts so that's why I am unsure. Thanks.
 
Airforce.com says, "Pilots must have normal color vision, near visual acuity of 20/30 without correction, distance visual acuity of no worse than 20/70 in each eye correctable to 20/20 and meet other refraction, accommodation and astigmatism requirements. Corrective eye surgery may also disqualify applicants for pilot or other specific roles."
Mine is nowhere near that!
"Uh...Line 1 is E...Can I put my glasses back on and read the 20/17 line?"

Yes, there are waivers. No, I don't know which ones will get approved in 3-5 years.
 
My DD (2015) was out of waiver range and got an exception to policy. So if you might be initially not qualified, you still may able to fly.
 
Don't know where this falls in the calculation ... but, my DD has a non-correctable depth perception issue which disqualifed her from pilot. IMHO it would be good for any candidate that wants to go pilot to be absolutely certain that their vision will not DQ them, otherwise they, as was my DD, may be hit with a surprise in the immediate time period preceding the big commitment at start of C2C year.
 
Option.Period said:
Don't know where this falls in the calculation ... but, my DD has a non-correctable depth perception issue which disqualifed her from pilot. IMHO it would be good for any candidate that wants to go pilot to be absolutely certain that their vision will not DQ them, otherwise they, as was my DD, may be hit with a surprise in the immediate time period preceding the big commitment at start of C2C year.
Click to expand...
yes absolutely, I agree. I'm hoping that won't happen.
 
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