USAFA Vision

wait a minute... sorry but i am getting really scared right now. My prescription right now is -2.0 in one eye and -2.25 in the other. Apparently, this translates to 20/400 overall for distant vision (I am obviously nearsighted). Does this mean that I will not be able to qualify or get a waiver for PRK?
 
I find it interesting that all the concerned posters here are nearsighted. From what I understand, PRK usually works very well for correcting near-sightedness.

My DS has the opposite problem: farsightedness at about +4.25 in each eye, with mild astigmatism. His visual acuity is about 20/25, fully correctable to 20/20 with glasses or contacts. However, he has excessive refractive error to be pilot qualified. Unfortunately, PRK is more problematic for correcting farsightedness, especially when coupled with astigmatism.
 
That's funny, because one of my eyes is near-sighted and the other is far-sighted :eek: . Talk about having some jacked up vision if/when I get the surgery performed (hopefully that'll be at the AFA :thumb:)
 
thunderbird12 said:
wait a minute... sorry but i am getting really scared right now. My prescription right now is -2.0 in one eye and -2.25 in the other. Apparently, this translates to 20/400 overall for distant vision (I am obviously nearsighted). Does this mean that I will not be able to qualify or get a waiver for PRK?
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Perhaps. There are exceptions, but I think you'll be looking for a waiver rather than PRK. Personally, my eyes were in the -2.25 and -2.5 range. The doc at the academy recommended against PRK and advised me to submit a waiver.
 
One thing to remember, also, is that even if the Academy performs the PRK surgery, it is no guarantee of a pilot slot. Many things can change in the 2 years of the process. All of the cadets who are interested and meet the criteria begin a regimen of eyedrops and eye exams during 3 degree year. There are two periods during the pre-surgery phase that the cadet has to go without contacts for 3 months, once before the big qualifying eye exam, and once before the surgery itself.

In my son's group of 35 who were selected for the surgery, there were 33 who actually had it on the scheduled day, right before classes started in the 2 degree year. The other two had to wait another 5 months for the next group because something on the day of surgery prevented them from completing it.

After one year of follow up care and multiple exams, 26 of them applied for waivers to become PQ.

21 of them were cleared for the waiver, and 20 of those were given a pilot slot.

Stealth_81
 
Well, for a young person to have near-sight issues, then they might need to worry about their eyes later on! Young people almost never have prescriptions for near-sight (so they have a prescription for far vision) because of the ability of young eyes to compensate at close distances. This ability linearly declines over ones life, so near vision usually isn't an issue for most people until a few years out.

I had my eyes checked two days ago for a glasses prescription (I finally caved). My eyes are nearly the same as when I had my USAFA eye check for pilot qualification. I was qualified with a favor for my astigmatism.

My prescription: Left eye was +0.25 sphere, +1.25 cylinder (astigmatism), my Right eye was -0.50 sphere, +1.75 cylinder. When most people say their prescription, they're referring to the sphere measurement.

But ya, I was waivered. So for those on the cusp, don't get worked up.
 
Hello,

I just have a question. I hope someone can help me out. I'm currently an active duty airman, and I'm trying to get into the academy through the LEAD Program. I have completed everything on my candidate application. I'm also done with my physicals and just waiting for DODMERB for the results.

I just have a question about my distant vision. On my last eye exam:

Left eye: Uncorrectable 20/25-2
Right eye: 20/150

I did the eye exam at our base, and our optometrist said that I almost made the qualification (correctable 20/20 on one eye with 20/400 on the other eye). He said that I should be alright especially I'm not trying to be a pilot/navigator. I want to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering.

My question is, is that something that could disqualify my eligibility? and if it is, is it something that I could get a waiver for?

Please help me out.

Thank you.
 
usafa2012mom said:
Very helpful information. Thank you. My son is very near-sighted (20/800, but not color blind) He has always dreamed of being a pilot. We had heard that the Air Force would possibly provide lasik surgery to correct vision. So we all were hoping this was true.
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His eye doctor said he was (20/200 not 20/800)
 
You all need to chill out.

I'm well past 20/600 (can't remember the exact figure) and have -8.5 in both eyes last I checked (both correctable to 20/20 though...). I got it waived.

The cutoff for myopia is -8.0 in both eyes to be dq'd, I think. But even that can get waived...if you're really aggressive about it and spend a lot of time talking to DoDmerb...:rolleyes:

edit: oh for PRK? yeah I'll probably fail that. It'll be worth a shot though.
 
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