Can you become a fighter pilot if you have lasik surgery to fix your vision?
Question:
Answer:
no.
airforce requires you to have 20/20 vision uncorrected. Commercial Lines have only recently started to become more leinient allowing corrected vision. It's harsh but understandable, when they're entrusting someone with a 20 million dollar aircraft or peoples lives they take only the best when they have so many to choose from.
if you want to be a fighter pilot, you need a perfect 20/20 vision, with no contact lenses or anything. so i dont think you could be a fighter pilot if you have a lasik surgery.
Good Question, the general consenus would be no, however...I sat my instructor check (F-4G) with the guy who had the worst vision ever waived by the USAF 20/200 no kiddding...what you have to realize is that he graduated from the academy in the one year when pilot training slots were going unfilled. This was the first year of the Reagan buildup during the cold war. So, the question should be...can I become an Air Force Officer? Can i become a Pilot? and then can I become a Fighter Pilot. Finally, does the airforce need me bad enough and am I qualified enough that they will wave the vision requirement. Now, I hear the will for academy grads who are otherwise qualified but you would have to call the academy. Don't forget the Air National Guard and Reserves who also have unique requirements and procedures. When the units switched from F-4s to F-16s all of the backseaters were sent to UPT regardless of vision and age so it really pays to be in the right place at the right time with the right connections. Good Luck
Yes, you can.
No. The reason is that there will always be a small chance of "bleeding" out through the stitch line after the flap is re-attached. Fighter pilots must be able to tolerate high G forces and possible loss of pressure without loosing vision.
No you have to wait till your in the military
Yes, you can become a military fighter pilot after having Lasik surgery, but there are some important issues for you to consider. If you don't proceed correctly, you may jeopardize your desired profession.
The US military has provided laser eye surgery to pilots for years, however until recently the surgery was limited to PRK, LASEK, or Epi-Lasik. These methods do not require the Lasik flap and are called surface ablation techniques.
The first step to Lasik is creating a flap of corneal tissue. This can be accomplished with a mechanical device that uses a surgical steel blade, or with a femtosecond laser. The latter is called All-Laser Lasik. The concern was that the flap may be problematic in the extreme environment a fighter pilot may experience.
After studies conducted by a former Top Gun pilot who is now an eye surgeon, it was determined that All-Laser Lasik is appropriate for all pilots, even fighter pilots.
http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/library/las...
Before you run down to your local Lasik doctor for All-Laser Lasik, you will want to first talk with your military recruiter or commanding officer. It may be much better to have the military provide the surgery. The cost if you have the military provide All-Laser Lasik is free or much less than from a commercial provider. If there are any problems or delays in healing, the military will be responsible because the military provided the surgery.
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