Navy / Coast Guard vision waivers

[Steve]

Anyone know what the Navy and Coast Guards policy is on waivers for Lasik and PRK eye surgery?

 

[sardaddy]

I just read a message on the official Coast Guard message boards that now authorizes at least one of the surgeries but I can't remember which one. Give me a couple of days and I will see if I can find the message and get back to you.

 

[Steve]

I just read a message on the official Coast Guard message boards that now authorizes at least one of the surgeries but I can't remember which one. Give me a couple of days and I will see if I can find the message and get back to you.

sardaddy,

Thanks very much. I've got a year until I'm out of school and trying to figure out if the CG would even take me (its my #1 choice). My school falls under the Blue 21 program and I meet the requirments except the vision unless I get surgery. any info you could provide would be great. Thanks again

Steve

 

[MarineGrunt]

I'm not sure about the others, but the Air Force allows PRK with a waiver and does not yet allow LASIK. If I remember correctly, you are taken off flying duties for a year after the surgery.

 

[Steve]

I'm not sure about the others, but the Air Force allows PRK with a waiver and does not yet allow LASIK. If I remember correctly, you are taken off flying duties for a year after the surgery.

I'm outside of the waiverable limits for PRK with the AF. I read the limits for the Navy somewhere and they were greater then those of the AF. I was hoping the CG was the same.

 

[Steve]

I was also reading some info about the HU-25 on http://vuscg.org/d8/training/pilot/Type%20Rating/Type%20Ratings.htm

Do you really do full stalls and spins in the HU-25? Is it certified for this?

 

[Steve]

HAHAHAH, Just realized that the above websit is a Virtual USCG page. People really do have too much time on there hands.

 

[Falconjet]

Yes, that is an interesting website. I instructed in the Falcon for 5 years in the Falcon training branch at ATC Mobile and 2 more years in the Op Division at ATC and never did a spin in the Falcon. You do practice "approaches to stall" and emergency descents in certain courses, but that is about as aerobatic as it gets.

FJ

 

[payola]

You may have already seen this site, if not it might answer some of your questions.
Scroll down to 12.14 Corneal Refractive Surgery. This is for Navy, I don't know how or if Coast Guard standards are related.

http://www.nomi.med.navy.mil/NAMI/WaiverGuideTopics/ophthalmology.htm