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Laser Eye surgery/Non commisioned aircrew

"Flying High" Discussions about the Royal Air Force.
gingerwig
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Laser Eye surgery/Non commisioned aircrew

Post by gingerwig »

Hi everyone

New on here today :D . I have been for my initial interview today for non-commisioned aircrew. I have had laser eye surgery in april and was told i could only apply next april but in mean time i need to get a form filled out by the optricians that did the surgery.

Will the sergery stop me from getting in as aircrew??

Thanks All
Last edited by gingerwig on Fri 21 Nov, 2008 12:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Hyperlithe
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Post by Hyperlithe »

Laser eye surgery would have been an instant fail in the past, but they might have relaxed the rules slightly as we're a bit desperate. Ask your AFCO...
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gingerwig
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Post by gingerwig »

Thankyou hyperlithe.

The form he has given me says that I cant apply inside a year of having the operation. I have to send a report back by my optometrist and wait to hear a reply on whether they will accept me after 12 months.

Fingers crossed
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Post by The Stig »

gingerwig wrote:Thankyou hyperlithe.

The form he has given me says that I cant apply inside a year of having the operation. I have to send a report back by my optometrist and wait to hear a reply on whether they will accept me after 12 months.

Fingers crossed
interesting as i was going WSOp earlier this year, i asked about L.E.S and they said it was a big no no, to apply or to have once your in the RAF!
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Post by gingerwig »

I really don`t know yet till i get a report and send it back. It was the general list of things that if you have you cant get into the armed services but next to laser surgery it says in the previous 12 months.
It might be the case that if you have had it you cant get into aircrew but you could go for other roles after 12 months, in which case i will be gutted but i think i will try for something else.
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Post by The Stig »

gingerwig wrote:I really don`t know yet till i get a report and send it back. It was the general list of things that if you have you cant get into the armed services but next to laser surgery it says in the previous 12 months.
It might be the case that if you have had it you cant get into aircrew but you could go for other roles after 12 months, in which case i will be gutted but i think i will try for something else.
all aircrew both non-commissioned and commissioned need to be "mr and mrs perfect" when they join up! medically i mean 8)
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Post by gingerwig »

yeah pretty much resigned myself to that fact.
Would laser surgery be excepted for other roles in the raf such as traffic control officers or intellegence officers?
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Post by gingerwig »

The Stig wrote:
gingerwig wrote:I really don`t know yet till i get a report and send it back. It was the general list of things that if you have you cant get into the armed services but next to laser surgery it says in the previous 12 months.
It might be the case that if you have had it you cant get into aircrew but you could go for other roles after 12 months, in which case i will be gutted but i think i will try for something else.
all aircrew both non-commissioned and commissioned need to be "mr and mrs perfect" when they join up! medically i mean 8)
and how odd is it that you can get in with not so perfect eyesight, and then have an operation to correct it once your in but not have it before hand and get straight in with perfect eyesight??
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Post by The Stig »

gingerwig wrote:
The Stig wrote:
gingerwig wrote:I really don`t know yet till i get a report and send it back. It was the general list of things that if you have you cant get into the armed services but next to laser surgery it says in the previous 12 months.
It might be the case that if you have had it you cant get into aircrew but you could go for other roles after 12 months, in which case i will be gutted but i think i will try for something else.
all aircrew both non-commissioned and commissioned need to be "mr and mrs perfect" when they join up! medically i mean 8)
and how odd is it that you can get in with not so perfect eyesight, and then have an operation to correct it once your in but not have it before hand and get straight in with perfect eyesight??
its the way the RAF are mate im afraid! one of my dads work collegues is (ex RAF) BAE Tornado GR4 pilot and in his own words would not be able to get into the raf thease days instead of the 80's when he joined cus he has contacts now and asmha...they were just realy short for aircrew when he joined and thats how he got in! even though he's an incredable pilot and combat proven!
gingerwig
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Post by gingerwig »

its the way the RAF are mate im afraid! one of my dads work collegues is (ex RAF) BAE Tornado GR4 pilot and in his own words would not be able to get into the raf thease days instead of the 80's when he joined cus he has contacts now and asmha...they were just realy short for aircrew when he joined and thats how he got in! even though he's an incredable pilot and combat proven!
Yeah one of them things i guess. Would laser surgery stop me from getting in as say a flight control officer or an intelligence officer?
Something thats not aircrew i mean?
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Post by Ruth »

I think they've relaxed the rules now that there is some evidence as to the strength of the healed cornea (no-one wanted to find out at the wrong moment that it couldn't withstand the G-forces...) and they tend to wait a year as the shape will have settled (and therefore the degree of correction obtained) and any problems with glare/halos will be static and can be assessed. But only some forms of laser surgery are allowed, even with that.

Hypes is right, AFCO...
gingerwig
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Post by gingerwig »

Ruth wrote:I think they've relaxed the rules now that there is some evidence as to the strength of the healed cornea (no-one wanted to find out at the wrong moment that it couldn't withstand the G-forces...) and they tend to wait a year as the shape will have settled (and therefore the degree of correction obtained) and any problems with glare/halos will be static and can be assessed. But only some forms of laser surgery are allowed, even with that.

Hypes is right, AFCO...
thank you ruth, waiting game, should find out in the next week or so. Fingers and toes crossed :D
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Post by timex »

I think you might find that ON Entry you had to have 20/20 vision unaided, however once you commenced Flying training you could, if your eyesight changed be fitted for glasses.

Not sure about Laser eye surgery, but as far as I know its still not been established what the long term affects will be for those who have had eye surgery at an early age.
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Post by gingerwig »

timex wrote:I think you might find that ON Entry you had to have 20/20 vision unaided, however once you commenced Flying training you could, if your eyesight changed be fitted for glasses.

Not sure about Laser eye surgery, but as far as I know its still not been established what the long term affects will be for those who have had eye surgery at an early age.
I`m expecting to be told its a no. I was going for WSOp but i`m hoping that it will be ok for maybe an officers role on the ground.
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Post by The Stig »

gingerwig wrote:
timex wrote:I think you might find that ON Entry you had to have 20/20 vision unaided, however once you commenced Flying training you could, if your eyesight changed be fitted for glasses.

Not sure about Laser eye surgery, but as far as I know its still not been established what the long term affects will be for those who have had eye surgery at an early age.
I`m expecting to be told its a no. I was going for WSOp but i`m hoping that it will be ok for maybe an officers role on the ground.
yer you'll be fine for ground crew no probs! WSOp is the most relaxed of the aircrew branches as i wear glasses and im fine for the role...however like other people have said you need at least 20/20 Unaided before training...WSOp is more flexible as i dont have 20/20 unaided and i got to OASC!
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