Vision Disqualification questions

AEB1968

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Mar 28, 2017
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Good evening, I apologize for my rash of posts lately but finding this forum has been very helpful.

My DD is a Junior in HS, as mentioned before her academics, standardized test scores and fitness are great. She applied to AIM and waiting to hear and has visited the USCGA and toured. Currently USCGA is 100% Plan A.

She just returned from her annual eye exam, and I will tell you she does not have great vision but it is fully correctable to 20/20 in both eyes. However, the issue it would appear is that her uncorrected vision in one eye is below 20/400 which appears to be a DQ for the USCGA. Has anyone had experience with this? The application process will be grueling to say the least and if this is a 100% deal breaker and we already know it, I wonder if I shouldn't break the news to her tonight. She's dreamt of attending the Academy for years and has done all the right things while in HS....sad to think her vision will be her undoing. But perhaps someone can give me an idea if waivers are granted for this type of vision issue (I realize nobody has a crystal ball but perhaps someone has experienced this)? Sorry for the long winded post and thanks in advance for any insight. I did a lot of googling but I can't really find a solid answer beyond this is a definite DQ and perhaps it's one of those just dive in and hope for the best scenarios haha.
 
I apologize, I see there is a separate DodMERB forum where I probably should have posted my question.
 
My vision is 20/560 and I passed the DodMERB medical examination. You should be okay as long as your vision is correctable to 20/20.
 
DD unaided vision was borderline 20/400. Optometrist said exactly 20/400 but DoDMERB DQed her for below 20/400 for some reason. She got her waiver automatically within two weeks or so though. It seems like an easy routine waiver.
 
It may depend on just HOW bad they are. A girl I know already had an LOA from USMA, fully correctable to 20/20 but pretty bad eyesight without lenses. She was never given a waiver after two appeals. She's headed to a civilian school now. I think -8.0 might be the cutoff? If it's better than that, chances of getting a waiver may be good. You'll never know unless you try!
 
DD unaided vision was borderline 20/400. Optometrist said exactly 20/400 but DoDMERB DQed her for below 20/400 for some reason. She got her waiver automatically within two weeks or so though. It seems like an easy routine waiver.
Thank you! She is borderline 20/400 in one eye and better than that in the other. This makes me feel a bit better. She's -6 and -6.25 so she is ok with that cutoff and fully correctable to 20/20. She may bet an initial DQ but it sounds like it's still worth pursuing. I just didn't want her to jump through hoops if this was going to be a deal breaker. Thanks!
 
It may depend on just HOW bad they are. A girl I know already had an LOA from USMA, fully correctable to 20/20 but pretty bad eyesight without lenses. She was never given a waiver after two appeals. She's headed to a civilian school now. I think -8.0 might be the cutoff? If it's better than that, chances of getting a waiver may be good. You'll never know unless you try!
Thanks for this....do you know what was her disqualifying factor relating to vision? Was it the 20/400 or the diopters under -8? Just trying to figure out how likely a waiver will be. Her eye doctor said she could well pass the 20/400 in both eyes she gets fuzzy on letters that look similar (e.g.. V and Y).
 
It may depend on just HOW bad they are. A girl I know already had an LOA from USMA, fully correctable to 20/20 but pretty bad eyesight without lenses. She was never given a waiver after two appeals. She's headed to a civilian school now. I think -8.0 might be the cutoff? If it's better than that, chances of getting a waiver may be good. You'll never know unless you try!
Thanks for this....do you know what was her disqualifying factor relating to vision? Was it the 20/400 or the diopters under -8? Just trying to figure out how likely a waiver will be. Her eye doctor said she could well pass the 20/400 in both eyes she gets fuzzy on letters that look similar (e.g.. V and Y).

She was -9.0 in one eye, and maybe -8.0 or something close to that in the other. I never asked about the 20/400 part, but I assume it must be bad with those prescriptions. I do know that -9.0 was definitely the deal breaker. Since she's still a junior, make sure her eyes don't get worse. Have her do eye exercises and sleep well before eye exams. They REALLY do help, and the -0.25 difference can be the difference between a DQ and a waiver.
 
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