Contact lens info

[Guest Pdiddy]

CrewDawg,

I just got on the program today at Sheppard. You have to show up to UPT having worn one of the "approved" brands of contacts. Mine are Ciba Vision 02 Optics soft contact lenses. I had my civilian optomitrist fax over a letter to the military eye doctor saying that I have worn them for 6 months with no problems. He still had to check the fit and my overall eye health before he would approve it, but luckily everything looks good...so no geek glasses while flying for me! The one thing is that you HAVE to be able to see 20/20 (no less) with each eye and both eyes together. One dude in my class was 20/15 in right and 20/25 in left but 20/20 together and he didnt pass because of that left eye not being 20/20. Hope that helps.

[Skitzo]

I have searched but to no avail.

Is it standard practice for FTU students to have to pay for their own contacts? My previous understanding was that only UFT students had to pay for their own.

This is why I avoided the program until I left AETC all together. However, after entering the program and wearing them for a month I was informed that they would not pay for my contacts until I have completed IQC.

Has anyone else run into this? Should I raise the BS flag to my flight commander or just return in six months requesting my authorization for funding or whatever it is called.

[WHAP]

My squadron is at my FTU base, but the RA had no problem paying for my contacts while in the schoolhouse. He only got me what i needed to fly, not the full set required for deployments and whatnot. I would say throw the bullshit flag if you are at your squadron. If you are attached to some other squadron then it might be different.

[Guest awfltdoc]

Originally posted by ktulu34535:

I have searched but to no avail.

Is it standard practice for FTU students to have to pay for their own contacts? My previous understanding was that only UFT students had to pay for their own.

This is why I avoided the program until I left AETC all together. However, after entering the program and wearing them for a month I was informed that they would not pay for my contacts until I have completed IQC.

Has anyone else run into this? Should I raise the BS flag to my flight commander or just return in six months requesting my authorization for funding or whatever it is called.

IAW 48-123, A7.1.2.6. Flying squadron commander will purchase SCL and supplies with unit funds for Class II and/or III, if operational justification to fly with SCL exists.

A7.1.2.7.Funding is not authorized for Flying Class I.

A7.1.3.2. UFT students authorized to enter the USAF Aircrew SCL Program must buy their own SCL and solutions.

[ 30. July 2006, 22:46: Message edited by: awfltdoc ]

[Guest awfltdoc]

Oh, yeah its now 48-123v3 Attachment 7 page 85-88 for the Soft Contact Lens Program info if you want to look at it your self at e-pub.

[Insubordinate & Churlish]

I searched already.

I heard that hard contacts (in comparison to soft contacts) slow the rate at which your diopter becomes more negative.

Is there any validity to this?

Thanks,

C-130 Hopeful

[ 21. September 2006, 14:20: Message edited by: C-130 Hopeful ]

[Guest P27:17]

No scientific evidence to validate the claim as far as we know...

AFI 48-123 says:

"A7.1.4.3. Hard Contact Lenses or Rigid Gas Permeable lenses and Combination (hard/soft) lenses

are NOT permitted without medical waiver for any aircrew, military or civilian, on flying status,

on or off duty, including any aircrew who participate as a crewmember in military flights while on

an “inactive” status."

[Guest doctidy]

Its effects, if any, are temporary and confined to the shape of the cornea. Refraction is about lens power and eyeball shape.

[Guest pilotsingerole]

I'm currently awaiting pilot training to beging (I start in Feb), and I have been told I need to wear glasses during training. I'd love to wear contacts, but was under the impression that I'd need to have already worn contacts for a minimum of 6 months before training for it to be allowed. However, an upperclassmen who is currently in training just told me that the policy has changed and that now it is only a month wait. Is there any truth to this? I'd like to have as much info about what I'd need to do before I go into the med clinic and make an appointment.

Thanks, any help is greatly appreciated!

[Guest awfltdoc]

I'm currently awaiting pilot training to beging (I start in Feb), and I have been told I need to wear glasses during training. I'd love to wear contacts, but was under the impression that I'd need to have already worn contacts for a minimum of 6 months before training for it to be allowed. However, an upperclassmen who is currently in training just told me that the policy has changed and that now it is only a month wait. Is there any truth to this? I'd like to have as much info about what I'd need to do before I go into the med clinic and make an appointment.

Thanks, any help is greatly appreciated!

I just left Laughlin in June 07, the policy at that time was 6 months of wear and using the approved solutions before starting pilot training. I also searched for any policy changes and found none to suggest the time or wear before starting training had changed.

If you really want to wear contacts in UPT, I'd get in to the optometrist asap. Be sure you get the "approved" lenses and solutions. Be sure to tell the optometrist (if you are seen in a USAF clinic) you will be starting UPT in Feb.

Take your glasses and your contact lenses/solutions with you when you get your flying class II physical (entry into pilot training physical) at your UPT base. If you have been using the lenses for 5 months prior, I'd personally let you fly, (you'll have a month of academics before actually strapping on a jet).

Just don't wait until a month before UPT to start wearing them (contacts), you'll get a nice pair of BCGs to wear if you do.

[Guest NoleMet]

Another question, I have been wearing contacts for the last five or six years, and they are the same brand/type as on the 'approved' list... do I still have to wait the six months, or can I show documentation from my civilian eye doc that I have been wearing these things for years?

[Guest awfltdoc]

Another question, I have been wearing contacts for the last five or six years, and they are the same brand/type as on the 'approved' list... do I still have to wait the six months, or can I show documentation from my civilian eye doc that I have been wearing these things for years?

All you got to do is bring some documentation from your civilian eye doc to show you've been using the lenses for more than six months and you should not have any problems. Just bring the documentation with you to the flight med clinic at your UPT base when you get there. They will likely brief you on the soft contact lens program and get you enrolled in that program. Once this happens, you'll be allowed to wear the lenses while flying.

[SCRIMP]

Is there anyway to get around the 6 month wait. The contacts that I got are supposed to be able to stay in your eyes for one month without taking them out. They are high oxygen lenses made by Bausch & Lomb "purevision". I really do not want to wear glasses under my helmet and I am methodical about cleaning them. I usually do take them out of my eyes everynight anyways.

Thanks for the advice, I have my UPT physical here at Vance in a week or so.

[Guest awfltdoc]

Is there anyway to get around the 6 month wait. The contacts that I got are supposed to be able to stay in your eyes for one month without taking them out. They are high oxygen lenses made by Bausch & Lomb "purevision". I really do not want to wear glasses under my helmet and I am methodical about cleaning them. I usually do take them out of my eyes everynight anyways.

Thanks for the advice, I have my UPT physical here at Vance in a week or so.

I don't understand. The deal is you have to have been wearing the approved contacts six months prior to the start of UPT to be able to wear them during UPT. For example, if a student came in and told me they started wearing the approved contacts one month prior to the start of UPT, then they were not enrolled in the soft contact lens program and they flew with glasses.

[Tunes3]

Does anyone know where to get the details on the contact lens program? I just finished up UPT at Corpus and am awaiting my training date to Little Rock. I would like to get in on the program as soon as I can, but I haven't been able to find the regs that detail the program.

Thanks!

[Guest awfltdoc]

Does anyone know where to get the details on the contact lens program? I just finished up UPT at Corpus and am awaiting my training date to Little Rock. I would like to get in on the program as soon as I can, but I haven't been able to find the regs that detail the program.

Thanks!

All you have to do is make an appointment with flight medicine and tell them you would like to talk about enrolling in the soft contact lens program. You'll get the briefing and likely all the written info you'll need.

[Guest Whiplash]

Ok, I know this may have been covered before, but I'm not really clear on this. Are you allowed to wear contacts for your class 1 flight physical? I don't really understand the policy on whether or not you can wear contacts.

[Guest Benko]

Ok, I know this may have been covered before, but I'm not really clear on this. Are you allowed to wear contacts for your class 1 flight physical? I don't really understand the policy on whether or not you can wear contacts.

For your initial FC 1 you should not have your contacts in. Here is the note from the AFI. If you show up with them in it will only slowed down the process of getting it completed.

1. Use of hard, rigid, or gas permeable (hard) contact lenses within 3 months before the examination

or soft contact lenses 1 month before all initial flying examinations is prohibited. Document SF

88/DD Form 2808 appropriately to ensure this requirement has been met.

So you can use contacts and get a FC 1. But if you use hard contacts you can't use them for 90days before you get the exam done. If you use soft contacts then you only have to go 30days without them in. Hope that clears it up for you.

[spectre56]

Thread revival.

I'm getting the run around here at XL. I start UPT in 6 months and currently wear glasses on occasion. I want to get on the SCL program so I talk to the flight doc. He says all I need to do is start wearing approved contacts as soon as possible and I will then be enrolled into the SCL program the first week of UPT when I get my FCII.

So I go to optometry for my appointment to get a contact lens prescription and the receptionist tells me the doc can't see me for the SCL program because I need to have been wearing the contacts for 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE BASE. WTF? What does it matter when I arrived at the base? As long as my UPT start date is more than 6 months away then it shouldn't be a problem, right? Needless to say, she refused to let me see the doc.

So what the hell do I have to do to get a contact lens prescription so that I can start wearing them?

Take this for what it's worth, but I talked to a tech at optometry at my base and they said basically you go talk to the flight doc to get briefed up on the program and they send you to optometry to get a prescription. After that, you wear the contacts for a week and you're good to fly with them in. I asked the guy I was talking to if it was different for someone going to UPT in about 3 months: he said just come in for 1 week, 1 month and 3 or 6 month (I can't remember which) checkups and you should be fine. Remember, this is coming from a different base, so they may not know everything that's going on. The guy at optometry made it sound like it was fairly simple to get them...that concurs with others in my squadron that are on the program.

[Guest Whiplash]

What does the power of contacts mean? Like I use -4.25 power contacts. Is that my refractive error?

[Guest P27:17]

What does the power of contacts mean? Like I use -4.25 power contacts. Is that my refractive error?

It similar (but not equal) to your eye glass refraction...your refractive error (for standards purposes) is via the cycloplegic...where they dilate your eyes and measure the eye's true refractive power.

[Guest gtg938v]

Does anyone know where the "approved" list of contacts is? I looked AFI 48-123, A17.1.3, told me to look in another document, which told me to go to a website .... long story short I finally got to a page which was password protected so I have no idea how to access this "approved" list.

Any help? I'm on my last year of ROTC, going to UPT at Pensacola in Spring, so I want to make sure i've been wearing "approved' contacts for at least 6 months, and I don't exactly have a flight doc I can just ask.

Thanks.

[Guest goducks]

Does anyone know where the "approved" list of contacts is? I looked AFI 48-123, A17.1.3, told me to look in another document, which told me to go to a website .... long story short I finally got to a page which was password protected so I have no idea how to access this "approved" list.

Any help? I'm on my last year of ROTC, going to UPT at Pensacola in Spring, so I want to make sure i've been wearing "approved' contacts for at least 6 months, and I don't exactly have a flight doc I can just ask.

Thanks.

This is the latest- it's from 2007. I've heard all sorts of varying stories about the rules for wearing contact lenses to UPT, but safe to say that wearing an approved lens gives you the best shot.

Good luck.

Approved_lenses.pdf

[fou]

goducks,

Thanks for the approved list. In AFI 48-123v3 A7.1.4.6 it states that updates are posted on the AFMOA/SGPA website in the knowledge exchange. Do you know what the link to that website is. I have found a contact lens that works for me but it is too new and not on the current list. Just wanted to see if they had posted any updates. Thanks

[Guest goducks]

goducks,

Thanks for the approved list. In AFI 48-123v3 A7.1.4.6 it states that updates are posted on the AFMOA/SGPA website in the knowledge exchange. Do you know what the link to that website is. I have found a contact lens that works for me but it is too new and not on the current list. Just wanted to see if they had posted any updates. Thanks

H K

The list was off of the knowledge exchange, which is not public access. I've been trying to find out if there's a public version of the site, but haven't found it yet. I don't think there is. I will confirm that the list is the most current and will also suggest it be posted at a public site. Don't know if that will happen, but worth a shot.

Cheers.