Eye issues (lazy, surgery, dialation)

[Login Name]

so a buddy of mine constantly has irritated eyes it looks like and so i asked him about it. he has what he calls permanent conjunctivitis....he tried explaining this to me and said that he's got little bumps on the inside of his eye lids that get irritated and cause him to have red eyes all the time.

any of you guys here of this? this contagious like normal conjunctivitis? will it dq him from applying for upt?

[Guest doctidy]

heard of it...not permanently disqualifying...may need a waiver.

[Guest Broncopilot943]

So a couple weeks ago, I got my "request for further info" from medical to get my corneal topography and eye re-evaluation done for an astigmatism waiver. Today, I went and got all the tests done at a local opth. The first thing they did was test my acuity with glasses on. Then they did the topography, dialated me, did a few more tests, and finished up the paperwork. Just as i was about to walk out the door, I had to open my mouth and say "i noticed you didnt check my uncorrected vision." So the doc, a former AF flight surgeon himself, says "well we usuallly dont do that, but might as well," and has me read the acuity chart with my EYES STILL DIALATED! So of course, i can't read jack. He says it wont make much difference. My acuity was still within limits w/o a waiver but barely and quite a bit worse than when i got my 1FC1 done. When my waiver package gets sent in, do you think the AETC will question that, or will they just look at the good corneal topography and call it good? Thanks!

[Guest doctidy]

Turbo - they all count...every exam. If there was a large difference, they would ask for an additional test to determine which was correct. Since its still w/in limits, think it will be OBE.

[Guest Broncopilot943]

OBE?

[Bergman]

Overcome by events

[Guest mohnabs13]

I was interested in joing the usaf through ots(bot) and i went for my eye examination and i found out i have 20/40 ,20/35 and lazy eye and my deam has been crushed by this lazy eye i cant become an air force pilot

my question is do i still have a chance in becoming a pilot :( :confused:

[ 24. August 2006, 05:44: Message edited by: Toro ]

[Guest doctidy]

I don't think the 20/40 or 20/35 is a problem. I do think the lazy eye will be a problem...to become a pilot. It would not be a problem in some other career fields.

[Guest mohnabs13]

Ok, what if i have eye surgery to fix lazy eye? will it be ok? i spoke to a recruiter about the lazy eye he said i must pass MEPS physical

[Guest mohnabs13]

by the way witch exams do they use to dictact lazy eye? could anyone please tell me the number of test they use to dictact lazy eye in MEPS and FC1

Thanks

[Guest doctidy]

1 - A surgeon, no matter how good, can never correct to normal.

2 - Doesn't matter what tests are done, it will always be detectable.

3 - Again...having "lazy eye" (whether you are talking amblyopia or strabismus) is not compatible with being a military pilot.

nabs-

I get the idea you are in high school. I applaud you for finding this website and forum...and for your obvious burning desire to be a military aviator. However, this is the big leagues. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to learn spelling and grammar.

dictact = spelled detect...a verb meaning to discover or ascertain the existence of

witch = a noun...a woman that flies around on a broom

which = a pronoun

[Guest mohnabs13]

I am really sorry about the grammer.And about the lazy eye once a wise man told me "Never to give up hope just keep going" SO i will keep trying to become a pilot,plus i saw this in the net

U.S. Air Force pilot passes eye exam after failing 2 years prior...

"I've been a pilot in the US Air Force for 15 years. 2 years ago my eye exams were getting a lot more difficult and I was eventually told I was at 20/30 in my right eye and would need to start wearing corrective lenses while conducting flying duties. I tried the Rebuild Your Vision program late last year after my dad gave it to me as a gift and on my last eye exam a week ago, I'm now seeing at 20/17 again!"

Phil, U.S. Air Force Pilot

[Guest mohnabs13]

I've been a pilot in the US Air Force for 15 years. 2 years ago my eye exams were getting a lot more difficult and I was eventually told I was at 20/30 in my right eye and would need to start wearing corrective lenses while conducting flying duties. I tried the Rebuild Your Vision program late last year after my dad gave it to me as a gift and on my last eye exam a week ago, I'm now seeing at 20/17 again!"

Phil, U.S. Air Force Pilot Is it true?

[Guest msmith16]

I'm not sure if this helps but it seems related.

CONDITION: MICROTROPIA/MONOFIXATION SYNDROME

I. Overview. Microtropia and monofixation syndrome (MFS) represent defective forms of binocular vision in which there is preservation of peripheral extramacular fusion but the absence of central macular fusion and fine stereopsis. This results from subtle misalignment of the eyes (microstrabismus), but can also occur in some individuals whose eyes are straight. Patients with this syndrome have the inability to use both foveas simultaneously (bifixation) and must resort to fixating with one eye at a time (monofixation). Failure to have simultaneous bifoveal fusion always results in degraded development of normal stereopsis.

Diagnosis is based on the presence of a facultative macular scotoma, a stereopsis deficit (though it may be mild), and a tropia of less than or equal to 8 prism diopters of deviation. Such tropias can be intermittent and some may degrade under the rigors of the flight environment and fatigue. It may be present, either with good visual acuity in the deviated eye, or amblyopia. Near stereopsis tests should never be used alone to qualify any aircrew, since many microstrabismics may have defective distance stereopsis but normal near stereopsis and vice versa. However, distance stereopsis is the main aeromedical concern.

There is usually no indicated treatment for this diagnosis.

II. Aeromedical Concerns. The functional aeromedical impact of this condition concerns the associated constant or intermittent disruption of stereopsis. A thorough evaluation must be performed due to the prevalence of associated defective stereopsis, anisometropia, macular scotoma, and amblyopia as well as to establish the etiology and rule out correctable causes such as uncorrected refractive errors. By definition, the degree of microtropia is equal to or less than 8 prism diopters of tropia. Larger deviations are called small angle strabismus and usually have more significant performance decrements.

III. Information Required For Waiver Submission. During initial and annual flying physicals, stereopsis testing on the VTA-DP or its newer replacement, the Optec 2300 (OVT-DP) is required. A near stereopsis test is never a substitute for assessment at distance. A local ophthalmological evaluation can help delineate the specific diagnosis. Experiences at AETC and the ACS have shown that the majority of these cases are not adequately worked up in the field to address the aeromedical concerns. Already trained aircrew subsequently identified to have decreased stereopsis, microtropia, or MFS will need an ACS evaluation. The ACS has considerable expertise in evaluating and diagnosing this condition as well as managing and occupationally assessing a given aircrew member with respect to performance in the military aviation environment. An active USAF/SG Study Group of trained aircrew with these conditions is maintained by the ACS, and a new Defective Stereopsis Study Group for mild defective stereopsis identified in UPT applicants has also been established in order to prospectively evaluate aircrew performance-based outcomes associated with mild stereopsis deficits.

IV. Waiver Considerations. An average of 15 aviators each year are seen at the ACS with a diagnosis of microtropia, over half of which are being evaluated primarily for another diagnosis. Another 8-10 per year are being identified at Enhanced Flight Screening-Medical (EFS-M) medical screening. Over 90% of all evaluees with microtropia have been given waivers based on retrospective analysis. No prospective studies have been done to date to evaluate the impact of mildly defective stereopsis as a cause of UPT attrition or overall Airmanship. Aircrew with these problems typically present by failing the depth perception test and usually have a history of this on careful review of the record. Consequently, a new mildly defective stereopsis study group for UPT students has been established to determine if fine stereopsis requirements can be safely modified in future standards.

[Guest doctidy]

I wish he had microtropia. If his optometrist caught it and told him "lazy eye", he has either amblyopia or strabismus.

[Guest Hoser]

Rage,

What exactly constitutes a lazy eye? (Non medical, lots of caveman terms would be appreciated).

I ask this because we have a guy in our squadron that damn near looks like he is checking his 6 with his right eye when looking at you with his left eye, and he's an FTU IP.

By the way, his callsign? Drifter.

Just thinking out loud (or online thru typing)

Hoser

[Guest P27:17]

"Lazy eye" often refers to amblyopia (an eye that does not have full visual acuity potential)...if to a degree that someone is not correctable to 20/20, then they will not get a waiver. "Lazy eye" also refers to strabismus (an eye that is turned)...depending on the degree of tropia (turning) and the effects on depth perception/stereopsis (if any) it is waiverable.

Surgery can correct strabismus (disqualifying but can be waived)...amblyopia is not correctable by surgery.

"lazy eye" is a generic non-medical term for several conditions and not a specific ophthalmic diagnosis.

[Guest mohnabs13]

"Surgery can correct strabismus (disqualifying but can be waived)...amblyopia is not correctable by surgery.

"lazy eye" is a generic non-medical term for several conditions and not a specific ophthalmic diagnosis" Does it mean strabismus is disqualifying to become pilot, but if it is waived i can become a pilot?

[Guest P27:17]

Any tropia (strabismus is one) is disqualifying.

Depending on the severity, it can be waived. If it is waived you can become a pilot.

Good luck

[Guest mohnabs13]

Like Exophoria greater than 6 prism diopters is disqualifying than that would be good news for me Thank alot P27:17

[Guest fighterwannab]

My first post here...

I've made it all the way through the process, picked up for fy08 pilot and looking forward to it. When I started thinking about the MFS at Brooks I remembered something that happened years ago. WHile playing Horseshoes (tough sport:) a rock bounced up and cut my eye. My mom's a nurse and told me to just put a patch on it so I did. A few days later I was fine. So when they do the topography will they see that? Will they give me problems about it if they do see it?

The worrying never stops!

[Guest Viperfixr]

Check out the search function. There is a ton of info on med issues.

Here's my two cents. I don't think your scenario will affect a corneal topography at all. The outer layer of your eyes is very thin and heals within a week or so. If you caught a rock in the eye and patching it for a few days healed it, I'm sure you probably just scratched the epithelium and it healed itself within a few days. Most likely it wont be visible on a corneal topography. In order to see a variation in your corneal topography they would need a corneal map from before the date you got the rock in the eye to compare a current corneal topography. I don't think it is an issue. Have you had any vision problems since? Astigmatism? I assume not since you are heading to Brooks. Good luck and keep inquiring, but search first, there is a lot of useful information on this site.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Viperfixr

[Guest Rage_:P]

don't bother...if there is something wrong with your cornea it wasn't the rock.

[Guest RedRipper]

BR,

Sorry to hear about your situation at Brooks. It's eerily similar to one I went through earlier this year, and I spent hours on Baseops and read this particular thread time after time.

I was a civilian non-prior picked up by an ANG unit, and a med tech found the same thing in my left eye during the red lens of my FC1. I saw several ocular motility specialists in the area and was found to have a mild over-action of the left inferior oblique muscle that caused a slight deviation in in the upper right quadrant of my vision that they said was a non-issue. I never noticed it until it was pointed out to me during the examination and it doesn't affect my day-to-day activities, even the flying I do on the civilian side.

After muliple examinations, letters, and calls, the unit felt that I was a good candidate for a waiver...so I embarked on the 6 month process. It went all the way up to DC with approvals until word came that the powers that be at Brooks wanted to see me for an ACS eval. At the ACS eval they found the same thing as the ocular motility specialists, but DQ'ed me due to the diplopia being out of regs. They told me that I had the condition since birth and that their research had found that the majority are caused from some sort of birth trauma. Due to the fact that I was a civilian and down in SAT on my own dime I didnt stick around for the "board debrief" on the second day to listen to what I already knew after the photographs and documentation. My unit pursued an ETP but that dead-ended as well.

I really hope the situation is different for you, but from what I found out through my year-long process waivers for the condition are pretty rare and difficult to obtain. I didn't opt for the laser surgery option, due to the risk/reward and many surgeons expressing to me that multiple surgeries might be reqiured. Might be something that you could look into though. I know that you have to get a waiver for the surgery.

The guys down at Brooks were more than professional, and especially surprised to see a guy in khakis and a polo sitting in the exam room. They were stunned when I told them I was down there on my own dime and not on official orders. It's a true testament that every civilian doc in the world can give you a squeaky clean record, but when it comes down to it the guys at Brooks are the only ones that count.

PM me if I can do anything else or answer any other questions for you. I really do feel your pain. Let me know how it goes.

[Guest joeallred22]

Does anyone here know if esosphoria can be waivered for a Navigator select on a FC1A? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated, our nerves are getting the best of us.