Astigmatism ?s

[Guest BigWebs]

I was reading a post about "The Myopia Myth" and was interested in using the reading glasses method to try and calm "ciliary spasm". When i talked to my eye doctor about it she said I dont have myopia, I have astigmatism which cant be fixed or mitigated.

she wrote on the perscription -.75,175 and -.75,015

so im wondering since the myopia.org website says people with myopia less than 1 diopter, can possibly get back to 20/20 by using myopter or reading glasses.

I wanted to do this but im not sure if since i have astigmatism that method wont help.

[Guest doctidy]

Astigmatism is caused by a misshapen cornea or lens...where they are more football shaped than spherical. I wouldn't imagine exercises could fix.

Then again, nearsightedness and farsightedness are caused by too short or long eye globes...and people are claiming some incredible gains w/ exercises.

[Guest skipplet]

Right now, I'm PNQ because "MD007 - Astigmatism Greater Than .75 Diopters." I talked to the sgt. at our det. about getting a waiver, and he gave me some bs answer about automatic waivers, and basically told me that I couldn't get a waiver. Obviously this is wrong.

So, after reading through a bunch of old posts, I've come to the conclusion that it'll be easiest if I first go see an eye doctor, find out exactly what my vision stats are, get a corneal topography, and then go from there. Does this sound like a good idea, or is there another way I should be going about this?

Thanks

--

And on an unrelated note, I've also got this listed under my PNQ status, "MD100 - Sitting Height Less Than 34 in But More Than 33 in." I must have been slouching my ass off. Anyways - I'm 6'0 now, and I took the Dodmerb a few years ago when I was like 5'8, so I'm sure that isn't even an issue. All I need is a note from a doctor to get this resolved right?

[ 01. October 2005, 23:43: Message edited by: Karl ]

[Guest dumaisj]

When I did my IFC-1 at Warner Robins, they blew my sitting height by like 3 inches. I FINALLY get a call 4 months after the physical saying I'll need a waiver for my sitting height. I'm not scraping any ceilings, mind you, but I'm no knuckle dragger either. I make the 3 hr drive AGAIN, walk into the clinic, take one look at the measuring box and say, "Guys, I hate to be the one to point this out as this is YOUR job..." The techs had started the measuring tape at the bottom of the box, but the tick marks didn't start until about 3 inches up the tape. Needless to say, they felt a bit foolish and my physical was AETC approved a week later. Good thing I had gone down...they had messed up five other physicals the same way. Gotta love it sometimes!

[Guest doctidy]

w/o a waiver, astigmatism is greater than 1.50.

I wouldn't pay money for corneal topography.

Why don't you give us your entire prescription and we'll go from there.

[Guest skipplet]

Is it possible to find out my prescription without having to get my eyes tested again?

[Guest sleepy]

Originally posted by Karl:

Is it possible to find out my prescription without having to get my eyes tested again?

I am guessing that you do, in fact, have glasses.

The easiest (and most obvious) thing to do is take a look at your prescription. But that presupposes that the doc gave you a copy.

Plan B: take your goggles to an optometrist. They have a machine that can evaluate them for the prescription.

Cheers!

[Guest air_1]

I see that the limits of astigmatism is 3.00. Is there any possible way at all to get a waiver for astigmatism at -4.25? I think its too bad to even consider, but I figured I'd run it across all of you. I'm correctable to 20/20. I'd like to be a loadmaster, but I think my astigmatism is way too far out for any type of position.

[Guest chrarm80]

I don't know what a flight doc will say, but you never know if it's possible until you try. I'd at least give it a shot if it's really what you want to do.

[Guest doctidy]

The astigmatism of 3.00 is for FC1...pilot. If you are going for loadmaster, that's FCIII. We don't need you to meet such a high standard for astigmatism in that position.

Get a FCIII physical done and submit it.

[Guest PhillipJFry]

When I initially had my eyes examined way back in high school for the DODMERB, they measured an astigmatism large enough to dq me for pilot. I went back a few months ago to have my eyes rechecked (because I see 20/20 uncorrected) and the doctor measured my astigmatism much lower this time. What are the chances that the MEPS doc will read something higher, and will that dq me again or will they do more tests?

Thanks

[Guest P27:17]

Why would you be going back to MEPs for a FC I exam? If you go to a local base or to Brooks the optometrist should be able to identify your true measurements...DODMERB isn't an exact science and their contract Docs have been wrong before.

[Guest Make Yourself]

What is your Astigmatism now?

[Goblin]

DODMERB isn't an exact science and their contract Docs have been wrong before.

Yea between my first DODMERB and my last one my sitting height was reduced by 5 inches. I was worried when I wasnt Pilot Qual but that all got taken care of the second time around.

[Guest PhillipJFry]

PT27:17: Sorry, I meant Brooks. Thanks for the info.

What is your Astigmatism now?

I don't remember the exact numbers. They're well within limits though.

100LL: Yeah, they jacked up my sitting height too, but that's fixed now as well.

[Guest air_1]

I was looking over this PDF and saw where it said "Mixed Astigmatism Patients." What exactly does this mean? I've searched on here and in other places but couldn't come up with anything. It is on Page 1 of this PDF.

PDF

Thanks!

[Guest P27:17]

I was looking over this PDF and saw where it said "Mixed Astigmatism Patients." What exactly does this mean? I've searched on here and in other places but couldn't come up with anything. It is on Page 1 of this PDF.

PDF

Thanks!

The best way to address you situation is to know what your cycloplegic refraction is..."mixed astigmatism" could be a simple difference in your cylinder readings...I can't tell you if it would be an issue with you with knowing your refraction.

[Guest PUTOPIAD]

so what is the limit for astigmatism to become a pilot? 3.00? and would this be measured and require a waiver before or after prk?

and how do these numbers look?, sorry I'm really confused

SPH CYL AXIS

OD -2.75 -0.25 095

OS -2.50 -0.50 090

Edited September 25, 2008 by PUTOPIAD

[Guest goducks]

so what is the limit for astigmatism to become a pilot? 3.00? and would this be measured and require a waiver before or after prk?

and how do these numbers look?, sorry I'm really confused

SPH CYL AXIS

OD -2.75 -0.25 095

OS -2.50 -0.50 090

Pilot applicants are allowed up to -1.50 diopters (D) of astigmatism and can be waived up to -3.00 D. Your refractive error has very little astigmatism so that's not an issue. Your myopia, on the other hand is right at the waiverable limit. To determine the degree of myopia you would add the sphere (SPH) and cylinder or astigmatism (CYL). So you are at -3.00 in each eye. However, I'm guessing the numbers you gave are from a glasses prescription, whereas UPT physicals are based on post cycloplegic (after eyedrops) refraction and only to 20/20 acuity (i.e. not going until the image is perfect, but stopping when the 20/20 line can be read). I'm guessing in that situation, each eye would be around -2.50 total myopia. But, you don't know exactly until you take the measurement.

Regarding PRK, there are limits for pre-PRK refractive error, and yes, 3.00 D of astigmatism is the limit. However, you are allowed up to -8.00 D of total myopia so you've got miles to go there.

Bottom line is that if your eyes don't change until your physical, you're probably OK, but close. If they change even a little bit, you might need to consider PRK or LASIK.

[Guest Xanderduke]

I got Intralase LASIK and I have been doing my post check ups and it seems my eyes have been staying the same. Though I am confused about my prescription as well. It seems that I have a astigmatism and I have no idea how bad

Prescription:

+0.50 SPHERE

+0.25 -0.25 x 003

I read that you add the sphere with the cylinder. But I do not know if i still qualify for pilot. How much of a astigmatism is too much.It says a 3.00 is too much. But how do you add that? Whats an example of someone with a bad stigmatism?

[Guest goducks]

I got Intralase LASIK and I have been doing my post check ups and it seems my eyes have been staying the same. Though I am confused about my prescription as well. It seems that I have a astigmatism and I have no idea how bad

Prescription:

+0.50 SPHERE

+0.25 -0.25 x 003

I read that you add the sphere with the cylinder. But I do not know if i still qualify for pilot. How much of a astigmatism is too much.It says a 3.00 is too much. But how do you add that? Whats an example of someone with a bad stigmatism?

Xanderduke,

You have no astigmatism in the right eye (that's what sphere means). You have the least amount measurable in the left eye (-0.25 diopters). Nothing to worry about there.

If your prescription in the left eye was +0.25 -4.25 x 003, that would be an example of a large amount of astigmatism.

You do not add anything to get the astigmatism. It is simply the second number in the prescription; unless you have no astigmatism (as is the case with your right eye) in which case we simply write sphere. In these cases we would leave out the third number (which is the direction, or axis, of the astigmatism) because you can't have an axis of something that doesn't exist.

Hope I answered the question without adding to the confusion-

[whall85]

My apologies for resurrecting an old(er) thread, but I figured it better to search and drudge up an old thread than to create a new one.

If anyone can give me an analysis of my latest (5 August 2010... My 6-month post-WFG PRK checkup) prescription, I'd appreciate it. I've tried to apply goducks methodology for calculating myopia and astigmatism, but I wanted to post to make sure I'm doing it right.

OD - Sph: Plano CX: +.050 x 080

OS - Sph: Plano CX: +.050 x 090

Am I still in good shape for a RS Waiver?

[Bayou_Eagle_Driver]

Yes you are. I believe Plano means there's little (if any) correction. As long as you have no post surgery visual distortions (haze, halos, starbursts) and your pre-surgery refraction was within limits, you should be good to go.

I am by no means an expert however.....

[Bayou_Eagle_Driver]

To be honest, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Go see a civvy doc if you want, but they're going to do the same stuff at brooks anyways.

[Guest goducks]

I am a CSO select. I have not been to an FC1A yet, nor have I been to my civilian optometrist in 6 years. By my 2005 DODMERB exam's standards, I had perfect vision. Five years later, I think I am developing slight astigmatism. Obviously I can't back this up with measurements, but I can't seem to resolve horizontal lines past a certain distance. If I rotate my head 90 degrees or thereabouts, those lines do resolve. Should I see my civ optometrist and get a prescription or wait until my FC1A to find out what my numbers are? I realize this sounds strange, given that it seems logical to correct my eyesight right away, but other than the horizontal line anomaly, I can still (subjectively) see everything else clearly. I want to know if my eyes will atrophy if I start wearing glasses. Or is this even possible to predict?

Any help is appreciated, and please forgive my ignorance on this subject.

Your eyes aren't going to atrophy if you don't wear glasses and, barring any MAJOR changes you should be fine for FCIA. Up to 2.00 D is within standard and it's likely waiverable up to 3.00 (or a little more, but I don't know the exact amount). You can go to a civilian OD if you want to know sooner rather than later. BTW- as an FCIA, your physical will be done locally, not at Brooks.