AIRFORCE TIMES
Flying jobs now open to LASIK patients
Staff Report
Posted : Tuesday May 29, 2007 20:08:00 EDT
People who have had LASIK corrective eye surgery are now eligible to apply for aviation and aviation-related jobs, the Air Force announced Thursday.
The change took effect Monday after studies showed there was little or no difference between LASIK-treated eyes and untreated eyes when subjected to the wind blast experienced during aircraft ejection or exposure to high altitude.
All applicants to aviation-related career fields -- regardless of whether they have had corrective eye surgery -- must still meet the vision requirements articulated in AFI 48-123.
The change also removes the altitude and high-performance aircraft restrictions for people who have had LASIK.
The Air Force is recommending two particular types of LASIK surgery for aviation candidates: Wave Front Guided Photorefractive Keratectomy, or WFG-PRK, and Wave Front Guided Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis, or WFG-LASIK, using the femtosecond laser.
The eyes are more trauma resistant after surgery using one of these methods compared to other forms of surgery, according to the Air Force's press release.
