Dailies Contact Lenses

Can you get laser eye surgery to fly for the Marine Corps?

I have been doing some research and was not sure if you have bad vision that is corrected with contacts or glasses, if you get laser eye surgery to return your eyes to 20/20 vision, will that qualify you to fly for the Marine Corps or are you just out of luck if you have bad vision. Any help would be nice.

Public Comments

1. Your out of luck, sorry. Lasik surgery or any eye surgery disqualifies you for anything that requires 20/20 vision.
2. Yes, eye surgery is possible to qualify for flight training. See page 2.... http://www.und.edu/org/mao/MarineProgams.pdf "AVIATION APPLICANTS Applicants who desire to apply for a guaranteed position in aviation must pass two additional requirements, a cycloplegic eye exam and the Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB). Aviators (pilots) must have 20/40 or better vision in each eye. However, as of 1 June 2005, applicants outside those requirements may apply for a contact lens waiver. Applicants must have uncorrected vision better than 20/400 and be correctable to 20/20 with soft contacts. In addition, they must be able to show they’ve worn soft contacts for at least six months without any type of problems. Naval Flight Officers (co-pilots/navigators) must simply have vision correctable to 20/20. Applicants who have had their vision surgically corrected should be aware that only vision correction through the PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) procedure is eligible for aviation. Applicants who has had their vision corrected through the LASIK (Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) procedure are disqualified for aviation, but may apply for the ground or law program." I am not sure if the contact lens waiver is still available. The link to the waiver guide on the NAMI website is broken or at least the waiver guide will not download on the computer I am currently using: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nomi/nami/clinical/Pages/Ophthalmology.aspx I believe Lasik is now approved. It is best not to get the surgery done on one's own without prior approval from the military. The military pays for eye surgery for Naval Academy Mids and Air Force Academy Cadets who want to fly. An OSO should be able to answer these questions. http://openbah.com/marine-ocs-articles/marine-oso-city-list http://www.dcmarineofficer.com/programs.html http://officer.marines.com/marine/making_marine_officers/commissioning_programs Good Luck!