USAF Pilot Vision Standards

[rickyrhodesii]

I'd ask this question on another forum, but I'm afraid of getting my head ripped off.

I've read that the refractive error for USAF pilots must be between -1.50 and +2.00.

Can this be waivered?

[frog_flyer]

Q6. During my FC1 my vision was 20/50 but my refractive error was -1.75. I was wondering first if this will DQ me and second if waivers are ever granted for refractive error if you meet acuity standards but not refractive standards and if they are how hard is it to get an ETP.
A. Refractive error is out of standards, but only by 0.25 diopters. This is DQ, however. It would require an exception to policy and not a waiver. It is really hard to predict ETP likelihood, but with it so close and the acuity within standards, you might get lucky.


This from unverified source:

With that said, there is the possibility of an auto-waiver if your refractive error is no worse that +/- 3.00. To qualify for the waiver you must have a full optometry eval IAW AFI 48-123 A.7 the only thing they can find wrong with you is your refractive error. For example, if your refractive error is -2.0 and you fail the depth perception test (looking for the floating circles kind of like a drivers licence test) you don't get the waiver. You must pass all vision/eye tests except distance visual acuity and refractive error. In my case I could see around 20/100. At times maybe a little worse. However because my refractive error was -2.25 and I passed all other tests I was eligible for the auto-waiver.

[falconvalley]

A little about ETP. It is the "silver bullet" of overriding AFI. It is so powerful that the Chief of Staff wants to see all ETP requests for refractive error. It is doable, but you have to literally prove that excepting you from refractive error standards would benefit the AF (likely in a way they didn't know to disprove).