▲ This undated photo, provided by the Air Force on Jan. 10, 2024, shows an eye examination taking place at the Air Force Aerospace Medical Center in Cheongju, 112 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Air Force-pilot vision

Air Force to ease eye exam requirement for prospective pilots

SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- The Air Force said Wednesday it will ease an eye examination requirement for aspiring pilots this year after determining that aviators with refractive error can safely conduct missions with corrective eye surgery.

The military branch will ease the refractive index requirement for prospective pilots and Air Force Academy cadets in medical exams to a range of -6.50 diopters to +3.00 diopters from the past range of -5.50 diopters to +0.50 diopters.

The index measures how much light is bent as it passes through the eye's lens, determining how accurately a person can see objects.

It is an important part of pilot medicals, as refractive errors can lead to conditions like nearsightedness or farsightedness, which would impact a pilot's ability to safely operate an aircraft.

The Air Force said it decided to ease the requirement after observing pilots who corrected refractive errors through surgery over a 10-year period and finding out that they were able to carry out fighter pilot missions.

The eye exam requirement had been a major hurdle for aspiring Air Force Academy cadets.

Of the total rejected applicants to the academy in the past three years, around 40 percent of them failed to pass the refractive index requirement, according to the Air Force.

The military branch has allowed service members who receive corrective surgery for worsening eyesight to perform pilot duties since 2013.

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