Vision Questions Megathread, Categories, Problems etc.

[yot]

Originally posted by Trap:
[qb] On your BMQ depending you could wear contacts. Nothing in life changes, dust is dust, dirt is dirt. The problem is you might not have the time to keep the contacts clean, and if you are practicing attacks and there is a dust storm you cannot go "time out" and remove and clean them. Then there is the problem of bringing all of the solutions and cleaners. I would rather bring a extra pair of socks. And in winter the solutions will all freeze. [/qb]

I agree your point, I am worried that I will break my glasses while in the training.. besides, I feel it is more comfortable than glasses during the ex.

 

[Martin]

I heard the Army issued glasses are ultra tight. You can also get that rope attatchment.

Anyway, my eyesight four years ago was -1. I hope it didn‘t go up too much. :mg:

 

[Lexi]

Originally posted by Martin:
[qb] Thanks for all the information guys!

And yes, my eyes are pretty bad. I get it from my father.

I hope I can pass the eye exam. Infantry is my priority.

And for eye surgery, does it cost anything? Are their any downfalls to it? Can something go wrong? [/qb]

I know exactly how you feel - I inherited bad eyesight from my mother. I‘m now wearing glasses at every moment except while in the shower, or in bed, and I also recieved the fuhked up teeth gene from my father, and now well, I‘ve been sentanced to 3 years of braces by my orthodontist.

As for the laser eye surgery, the only thing I know is that it can be very pricey. Where I live, (Hamilton,) the lowest prices around are about 900 bucks an eye. Of course, as for things going wrong, there are always risks when it comes to surgeries... with lasers... but I haven‘t heard of any failure stories lately. Just go to a surgeon who‘s had tons of experience, who‘s operated on more than around 100 patients.

It seems, Martin, that we are both floating in the same boat!

 

[Yeoman]

chances are, you won‘t see army issued even if you request them.
I got a hold of a pair of us army style. instead of having stems, it‘s a plastic strap. I use them for whenever I‘m jumping, although I‘m going to replace them with some addidas sunglasses with glasses attachments.
that‘s the one good thing about glasses on course, if you got some that are perscription shades, then you can wear them. anyone that doesn‘t require glasses, can‘t wear sunglasses during training.
Greg

 

[Martin]

Well, I‘m going to start saving up for eye surgery, just in case. I can‘t let my eyes fail me. I look up to the Army, it inspires me a lot.

And Lexi, I think I‘ll do the same. Normally I only wear glasses when going to a movie, or to see far (black boards). But I think I should wear them all the time. Oh, and are you in the Army?

 

[mic911]

Actually, there‘s a place called LASIK MD and they have a good deal on right now it‘s $590 - 890 per eye. I think you have to call soon to get the deal. Financing is available too.

They offer military discounts ($575-875 per eye and 1 yr free insurance).

I booked an appointment yesterday for the first week in March. Check out their site at http://www.lasikmd.ca

They have clinics in Montreal, Niagara Falls, Mississauga, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and others opening soon. One will be opening in Kingston in a few weeks.

 

[girlfiredup]

I had mine done in 1999 by Dr. Robert Morgan who is now a partner with Lasik MD. I think I paid $680 per eye. Still a good deal and well worth it! My right eye has regressed a bit though, just in the past year; (I have an astigmatism in that eye and staring at a monitor all day doesn‘t help) but I still see 20/20. No regrets.

 

[CF_MacAulay]

Hey all...im wondering, i wear glasses, but not normally i usually wear my contact lenses...and is there ne way i can wear them in BMQ and all that? does the militar have any rules on that? or has ne one else ever done it??

 

[tree hugger]

Originally posted by scm77:
[qb] Do the Canadian Forces have those funny, super thick glasses like you see guys wear in the US army? [/qb]

I have two sets of glasses issued to me from the military and they‘re great. They‘re very funky - one pair thicker framed and red, the other blue squarish ones. They didn‘t have much of a selection but there were some cool pairs.
I‘m rather vain and if they issued me ugly glasses, I just wouldn‘t wear them!

 

[Lexi]

Pfft, In the army?
I wish.
Nope, I‘m just like you. A civilian who looks up to the army and sees soldiers as heroes. I also want to save up for laser eye surgery. And with the money being put into my braces I could have it 5 times over. But meh *shrugs*

 

[combat_medic]

Everyone‘s talking about me, I feel notorious.

The medical eyesight chart that was posted is pretty much accurate. Your vision correction, nearsightedness, farsightedness, colour vision, and any problems like astigmatism are all taken into account, and any problems may bar you from certain trades, or from the CF in general.

As for Laser Eye Surgery, you‘d be hard pressed finding a place that charges you $5000 for the surgery. LASIK is by far the best route, unless you have really terrible vision or your corneas are too thin. When looking for a surgeon, get their full name and make a quick phone call to the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Ask them if the doctor is in good standing, has had any malpractice suits, etc.. Also, call the Better Business Bureau to find out if they‘ve had any problems.

Laser surgery, unlike most other surgical treatments, are done by the thousands. One laser surgeon could easily do 1,000 corrections in the space of a single year, so keep that in mind when you‘re shopping around. As for price, make sure it‘s "all inclusive". The price they set should include an optemetrical exam beforehand and afterwards, all treatment, subsequent checkups, and the meds and tape that they send home with you after the surgery (eye drops, antibiotics etc.). Often, the price that you think is a huge savings is a lot more than you think once you add up all the extra costs.

There is a chance that your eyes can regress afterwards, or require a second treatment, or get an infection, or even go blind. These are all pretty rare, and the vast majority of people come out with 20/20 vision. However, with any surgery there are risks, and it‘s something that you have to consider before going into anything, and certainly before signing that little waiver form.

 

[jordan_o]

Hello, I‘m new here and didn‘t want to make a new post, since there was this one already. I have looked at that chart but I am still confused over the visual requirements and I hope someone can help me out. I know that I have -3.00 and -3.25, and I couldn‘t find them listed on that table, and I am not sure if it is under the 6/120 or V3 requirements for the infantry. If someone knows, or has the same vision as i do that is in the infantry, please respond.

Thanks in advance,
Jordan.

 

[nULL]

You could always wait for this laser vision.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3647437.stm

Jordan, do you know your 20/20 ratings? If you don‘t, on your application, you‘ll need to send in a form signed by an optometrist, and he‘ll fill out that information. You can ask him at the time what your 20/20 and 6/6 ratios are.

And combatmedic, isn‘t PRK an undetectable surgery, unlike Lasik?

 

[jonsey]

nULL, that‘s pretty cool. Maybe it could be worked to be a kind of IFF for ground combat.

 

[Shockwave]

I wore contacts throught my entire BMQ. Im now almost done SQ and ive had them in the whole time aswell. I wear "night and day" contacts which can stay in your eyes up to 30 days without taking them out(even when sleeping), they are great. Wear sunglasses when outside during the days and youll be fine.

 

[Spartan]

I‘m curious, I have the hope of being on BMQ this summer and wear glasses to see - very near sighted- what should I do wrt gasmask trg/drills/fun?

 

[combat_medic]

jordan_o: -3.00 in each eye should easily get you into a V3 vision category.

nULL: PRK is detectable, it‘s also more invasive, less succesful, more painful and takes way longer to heal. PRK is usually only used when your vision is REALLY bad, like -15.00 or worse, or your corneas are too thin. Despite the claims that it‘s "touchless," the laser still touches your eye, even if a scalpel doesn‘t. Unless you had no other option, I would go with LASIK.

 

[jeffm]

What are the color vision requirements for the reserves?

Is color vision tested?

 

[Korus]

when your vision is REALLY bad, like -15.00 or worse

You mean eyes can get that bad and worse? phew.. I thought *MY* eyes were bad...

Symchyshyn I wear glasses too, but I made it through the training. Overall it‘s not that bad. Gas mask drills are doable, taking your glasses off is just one more thing to remember, plus you have to make do without glasses while you have your gas mask on.

There are special glasses the military issues for use with gas masks, the frames are pretty much made of rubber and your gas mask fits over them. Plus you look like a dork.

HOWEVER, AFAIK You won‘t get them in the reserves unless you go overseas... Perhaps someone can clarify on this.

jman123, yes colour vision is tested, but I don‘t know the exact requirements. Contacting the recruiters is probably your best bet for an answer, as they can forward you to the medical examiner.

 

[combat_medic]

Colour vision is tested in the reserves, but full colour vision is only mandatory for certain trades such as engineer and artillery (cut the blue wire, NO, the BLUE wire!). Depending on the level of colour blindness, you may be barred from certain trades, but not from the CF in general.

As far as combat glasses (also known as birth control, or "abortion" glasses... for good reason), you can‘t get them in the reserves unless you go overseas.