Expert: James Bell - 7/22/2006

Question
James,

My Son is joining the AF and has passed the DLAB and will be a Crypto Linguist.  He wanted to be airborne and fly RC-135s but they said because of his eyesight, he cannot be airborne.  Is that true of aircrew, like pilots, that you have to have perfect vision to get into the program?  His recruiter told him that once in the AF, they would provide surgery (like LASIK) and he could become eligible.  During my time in the AF, I worked with many RJ crewmembers that wore glasses, but don't know how their vision was when joining?  Thanks in advance for your insight.

Answer
Greetings Neal -

Congratulations on your son getting into Crypto.  It is a much coveted field, but almost impossible to get out of if he decides he no longer wants to do it.

Enlisted aircrew eyesight requirements are much less stringent than that of pilots, of course, but they are there.

I researched your question in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 48-123, Volume III, Medical Examinations and Standards, Flying and Special Operational Duty.  His distant vision, uncorrected, can be no worse than 20/400 in each eye, corrected to no worse than 20/20 in each eye.  His near vision has no standard for how bad it can be, but must be corrected to 20/20 in each eye.

There are also standards to the maximum "diopters" for any glasses he currently wears, adjusted for his age.  I don't understand how these work, you would need an opthamologist to explain it to you.  When I joined, my eyesight was 20/200 uncorrected, and I flew in three aircraft in two different jobs for 24 years.  At my last flight physical, I was told my eyesight had exceeded the limit allowed to continue in aviation service but, since it was my last year prior to retirement, and my vision was still correctable to 20/20, they let me finish my final year in the aircraft instead of a desk.

The only corrective surgery currently approved by the Air Force is PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy).  It is similar to LASIK but is a different in how it is done with the laser.  The Air Force does this procedure at the Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio.  I have had several people in my squadron have the procedure done, and no one has had any problems.

I hope this answers your questions.  I don't know what your son's current eyesight is, and I am no expert on the medical side of things, so this is about the extent of the advice I can give you on this subject.

If you have any other questions I can answer, don't hesitate to write back.

Sincerely,
James Bell