Refractive error

[youngflyer]

I am 15 years old and am considering both routes for aviation:
military/civilian. But I am concerned that my vision might not be good enough for the military route. My vision is correctable down to 20/20 uncorrected but I looked on my contacts case and it said
D: +6.5
Is that my refractive error?

[My Flight Surgeon]

Yes it is. You can fly civilian with any refractive error as long as it is correctable to 20/20

[falconvalley]

Originally Posted by youngflyer

I am 15 years old and am considering both routes for aviation:
military/civilian. But I am concerned that my vision might not be good enough for the military route. My vision is correctable down to 20/20 uncorrected but I looked on my contacts case and it said
D: +6.5
Is that my refractive error?

FYI~
If you want the refractive error measurement that the military is looking for (well, the Air Force at least), you need the refractive error measurement from a specific type of exam using a specific strength of drops.

You would probably need a waiver for refractive error if you were applying today. It's a very good idea to wait until you are in your early twenty's before you decide if you want to have surgery to improve your refractive error.

Here are the current standards, courtesy of baseops.net:

Visual Acuity
Pilots
USAF 20/70
USN 20/40
USMC 20/40
USA 20/50

Nav
USAF 20/200
USN correctable to 20/20
USMC correctable to 20/20
USA N/A

Other
USAF 20/200
USN correctable to 20/20
USMC correctable to 20/20
USA 20/400

Refractive Error (any meridian)
Pilot
USAF -1.50 +2.00
USN -1.50 +3.00
USMC -1.50 +3.00
USA -1.50 +3.00

Nav
USAF -2.75 +3.00
USN -8.00 +8.00
USMC -8.00 +8.00
USA N/A

OTHER
USAF -5.50 +5.50
USN -8.00 +8.00
USMC -8.00 +8.00
USA no standard

Pre-PRK (any meridian)
Pilot
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA -6.00 +4.00

Nav
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA n/a

OTHER
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA -6.00 +4.00

COLOR VISION
Pilot
USAF 10/14 PIP 1&2
USN 12/14 PIP
USMC 12/14 PIP
USA 10/14 PIP

Nav
USAF 10/14 PIP 1&2
USN 12/14 PIP
USMC 12/14 PIP
USA N/A

OTHER
USAF 10/14 PIP 1&2
USN 12/14 PIP
USMC 12/14 PIP
USA 10/14 PIP

[youngflyer]

Originally Posted by falconvalley

FYI~
If you want the refractive error measurement that the military is looking for (well, the Air Force at least), you need the refractive error measurement from a specific type of exam using a specific strength of drops.

You would probably need a waiver for refractive error if you were applying today. It's a very good idea to wait until you are in your early twenty's before you decide if you want to have surgery to improve your refractive error.

Here are the current standards, courtesy of baseops.net:

Visual Acuity
Pilots
USAF 20/70
USN 20/40
USMC 20/40
USA 20/50

Nav
USAF 20/200
USN correctable to 20/20
USMC correctable to 20/20
USA N/A

Other
USAF 20/200
USN correctable to 20/20
USMC correctable to 20/20
USA 20/400

Refractive Error (any meridian)
Pilot
USAF -1.50 +2.00
USN -1.50 +3.00
USMC -1.50 +3.00
USA -1.50 +3.00

Nav
USAF -2.75 +3.00
USN -8.00 +8.00
USMC -8.00 +8.00
USA N/A

OTHER
USAF -5.50 +5.50
USN -8.00 +8.00
USMC -8.00 +8.00
USA no standard

Pre-PRK (any meridian)
Pilot
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA -6.00 +4.00

Nav
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA n/a

OTHER
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA -6.00 +4.00

COLOR VISION
Pilot
USAF 10/14 PIP 1&2
USN 12/14 PIP
USMC 12/14 PIP
USA 10/14 PIP

Nav
USAF 10/14 PIP 1&2
USN 12/14 PIP
USMC 12/14 PIP
USA N/A

OTHER
USAF 10/14 PIP 1&2
USN 12/14 PIP
USMC 12/14 PIP
USA 10/14 PIP

Alright thanks a ton. What surgery could improve refractive error? Is that what lasik does? My plan is to go into Air force ROTC.

[My Flight Surgeon]

Note the following that was just posted.

Pre-PRK (any meridian)
Pilot
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA -6.00 +4.00

Your pre-PRK refractive error is +6.5. I am sorry, but with that error, you will not qualify for flight training in any of the services. If you want to get into the AIr Force and do something other than be a pilot, OK, but don't go into ROTC thinking you will become an Air Force pilot. At least that is the way I read the standards and I was a military Flight Surgeon.

[youngflyer]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

Note the following that was just posted.

Pre-PRK (any meridian)
Pilot
USAF -5.50 -1.00
USN -8.00 +6.00
USMC -8.00 +6.00
USA -6.00 +4.00

Your pre-PRK refractive error is +6.5. I am sorry, but with that error, you will not qualify for flight training in any of the services. If you want to get into the AIr Force and do something other than be a pilot, OK, but don't go into ROTC thinking you will become an Air Force pilot. At least that is the way I read the standards and I was a military Flight Surgeon.

Alright that is fine. I will just take the civilian route. Just curious though, if my vision improves over teenage years, as I heard sometimes it does, would my refractive error change? I assume not. Also would any of the military branches have waivers for my horrible refractive error. I assume not again so if that is the case I will just take the civilian route, my parents are being very generous and said they are going to pay for 80% of my flight training so I wont be at a very big loss with either of my options.

[My Flight Surgeon]

I don't think your vision will change and if it does since you are myopic, it will go the other way.

I doubt the military will give a waiver for this much refractive error.

Pick a good school and get a college degree along with your flight training. (Check the threads here for the opinions of others but I know Doug agrees with this piece of advice.)

[youngflyer]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

I don't think your vision will change and if it does since you are myopic, it will go the other way.

I doubt the military will give a waiver for this much refractive error.

Pick a good school and get a college degree along with your flight training. (Check the threads here for the opinions of others but I know Doug agrees with this piece of advice.)

Alright that is fine. I was planning on going to college and getting a degree in an unrelated field and doing my flight training on the side and CFI'ing in the summer so when i get out of college i can go directly to a regional.

[youngflyer]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

I don't think your vision will change and if it does since you are myopic, it will go the other way.

I doubt the military will give a waiver for this much refractive error.

Pick a good school and get a college degree along with your flight training. (Check the threads here for the opinions of others but I know Doug agrees with this piece of advice.)

Wait. Doesnt myopic mean near-sighted. My eye doctor said I am far sighted. Maybe the contacts box is different?

[My Flight Surgeon]

If your refraction is "+", you are myopic.

[milski]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

If your refraction is "+", you are myopic.

So the number that you get on your prescription is not your refraction? I'm fairly sure that I'm myopic and my prescription is -3.0.

[My Flight Surgeon]

AH, my error. Too tired after the drive from Kansas to Arizona Saturday.

You are both correct and I am wrong. A "-" diopter is myopic.

So in reviewing the requirements, it appears the Navy or Marine Corps may allow you to fly as a pilot since their limits are -8.0 diopters. So youngflyer, if you are interested in the military, look into Navy ROTC.

My apologies for the error.

[youngflyer]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

AH, my error. Too tired after the drive from Kansas to Arizona Saturday.

You are both correct and I am wrong. A "-" diopter is myopic.

So in reviewing the requirements, it appears the Navy or Marine Corps may allow you to fly as a pilot since their limits are -8.0 diopters. So youngflyer, if you are interested in the military, look into Navy ROTC.

My apologies for the error.

Wait. But my prescription is +6.5. Since their limits pre ppk -8.0 to +6.0 could I get a waiver pre ppk because that gap is so small.

[My Flight Surgeon]

It is worth trying. Be sure to get the waiver before you sign on the dotted line though.

[youngflyer]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

It is worth trying. Be sure to get the waiver before you sign on the dotted line though.

haha. I will for sure. That might be a while considering I am only 15. Thank you so much for your help!!!!!! You are a truely valuable asset on these boards.