I want to join the Coast Guard but I have terrible vision. I have been waiting until I can get eye surgery because I obviously won't be able to swim with glasses on. A recruiter I talked to said I would probably have to wait to get surgery but said it as if she wasn't really sure.
Has anybody been through who can tell me if I woud be allowed to wear contacts and goggles. I really really, want to join but this is keeping me from it. There must be a way because how did people do it years ago?
I need concrete answers please. No guessing
2006-12-09 10:06:34 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
By the way, I am useless without my contacts. I don't mind BCG's on land but my concern is regarding time in the pool/ocean.
2006-12-09 10:29:06 · update #1
I'm in the Coast Guard and I wore glasses. Believe me you'll never have time to put contacts on. Usually in the morning we had less than 5 minutes to get up and get dresses.
I was practicaly blind. My vision was something like 750/20. I'd be in the optometrist chair and I could barely see the big E. I wore my glasses in the pool to swim the laps and I did fine. When I did the survival swim I took off my glasses and put on goggles. I didn't see much of anything but honestly I didn't really need to see anything to know all I had to do was swim from one end of the pool to another!
It's not that bad and you won't be in the pool that much! I think other than the survival swim and the swim test I was in the pool less than 20 hours the whole time I was there and half the time I was swimming on my own and didn't really have anybody screaming at me!
So, don't let glasses hold you back!
I'd get the eye surgery after you are in the Coast Guard and made it through everything. They'll pay for you to get your eyes fixed. If you do it on your own before you join you'll end up spending close to 2000 dollars!
2006-12-10 05:37:47 · answer #1 · answered by angeliquedesjardins 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There has been some stuff come up about lasik and impact to the head. Apparently a mild impact around the eye after having lasik can permanantly damage the eye. The old school scalpel surgery is supposedly more reliable and what the military prefers, or so I hear. My dad had it about 12 years ago. Now 55, his vision is still up there with where it was right after the surgery. Just be ready to lay out on the couch for a few days. I have just recently been looking into it myself, I'm worthless without my glasses.
2006-12-09 15:29:06 · answer #2 · answered by onelo150 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well here is what I know, some branches of the military (I know for a fact Marines) have issues with some laser surgeries because there has not been enough time on the longevity of some procedures... ie how good they keep perfect vision... sorry I could not help you on yours specifically... Have you talked to others in the Coast Guard about this?
2006-12-09 10:18:15 · answer #3 · answered by radiohead5953 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would imagine the CG issuing you the appropriate eyewear...the army did for me....do not get the surgery lasik is fairly new and what do you think recruits did before lasik....you MAY be able to get the military to pay for lasik AFTER you've enlisted and completed your initial traing if your eyesight is important in your field of work
2006-12-09 10:23:17 · answer #4 · answered by mahree 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the coast guard? Probably... along with king sized beds and room service. haha just kidding. Navy boot camp made us wear huge brown plasic rimmed glasses. They called them "Birth Control Glasses (BCGs)" because they are so ugly.
2006-12-09 10:15:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No they are not allowed to make calls. The only time may be towards the end of boot camp. Sometimes they allow a short 5 minute phone call.
2016-05-22 23:43:27 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋