can you wear contact lenses and still make it through USMC boot camp?
472669
they give you glasses to wear for boot camp so you dont have to worry about having a lense pop out or get dirt in it.  Trust me you will spend a good amount of time in dirt, or sand.  You dont want you glasses or contacts going through that.  Use their glasses, they are free and you dont need to worry about them breaking.  Once a year the corps will give you a free pair of "civilian" glasses, they are actually a nice pair of glasses, but you dont want them in the field.
77874
i heard that it must be 20/20 vision when i was looking into being a pilot in the military.\n\nthey don't want glasses falling off or contacts coming out while you're flying.\n\ngetting laser surgery to fix eyes i think is okay.  you might want to check that, but i'm fairly sure that they'll accept you if you get that done.
1066118
Yea, I do boxing and ive been in about 12 matches and i have REALLY BAD VISION, i just wear contacts, they dont recommend it but you can still do it, ive never had a problem wit my contacts falling out or anything. just wear contacts and be all that you can be
1139233
Overnight Monthly-wear contact lenses. They're one-way oxygen permeable.
638600
Contact lenses offer no protection against chemicals--in fact it is more dangerous to wear them than not.  If there are lots of chemical vapors in the air, they will end up accumulating underneath the lens (gas permeable lenses are slightly better, but I still wouldn't wear them in a chem lab).  Furthermore, if you get something in your eye and you need to wash it out, the contact lens will prevent effective cleaning.
3546
# Can I swim with my contact lenses in?\nIt is best if you don't because there are bacteria in the water that can adhere to your lenses and cause infections. If you do swim in your lenses, you should wear goggles over them and you should disinfect them immediately afterwards.
820455
I don't think you should be wearing contacts.. at least temporarily.\n\nI used to wear contacts then decided to get lasik.  I am fair skinned and blue eyed and wearing contacts for so long I had a lot of blood vessels growing in my eyes and I could never find comfortable lenses.  The doctor told me to drink lots of water and wear glasses for 6 months before being fit enough to have lasik.\n\nContacts are evil if you start to wear them young.\nI started in 7th grade and am 24 now.  Treat your eyes good.
683826
If you are getting daily disposables, no problem. Just throw them out each night.\nIf you get the ones designed for longer wear, follow your optometrist's instructions carefully.  Disinfect your contacts everyday, using fresh solution each time.  Replace the storage case every month.  Never share your contacts with your friends (this actually does happen).
1059975
Boot Camp is extremely tough.  That's the point of it.  Drill Instructors ARE NOT allowed to touch recruits at any time unless it is necessary (IE: you're choking and need the heimlich)  Drill Instructors are also trained to CONTROL THEMSELVES and not hit, kick, or beat recruits.  Keep in mind, most DIs are CAREER Marines... they have been Marines for many many years and will continue to be for years to come.  Their career is EXTREMEMLY IMPORTANT to them and most wouldn't even consider putting that in jeopardy by assaulting a recruit.  However, none of this will save you from a verbal lashing.  You'll get that no matter what you do or say, or what you don't do or say in boot camp.  It's all part of the process!
1098430
I am an Optician. You will love the surgery if it all goes well. Personally, I would not due to a few reasons. First is the Opthamoligist do not beleive in it. If they did they would not have you sign a waiver saying they do not guarntee that it will work and there is a possibility you would be in stronger glasses. If you purchased glasses and they said that you may not be able to see out of them, would you pay for them? Also, depending on the type of surgery, they cut a layer of your cornea off. to make your eye flatter. When they cut this off, your eye is now thinner. If you develop Glacoma in the future, you run the risk of your eye rupturing. I dont think its worth the risk. I would suggest getting contacts called Paragon CRT lenses. They are amazing. You wear the contacts wile you sleep. You take them out in the morning and you can see! They way it works is it molds your cornea to the shape it needs to be to see without any cutting! The lenses are expensive but as long as you dont lose them, they last for several years.The only downside is the first week or so, you will wear the lenses and the next morning you will see great for about 4 hours. then it will go back to bad. After wearing them for a few weeks you can go all day. Some people have said they wear them on the weekends and can see for several days. I have included a link to explain and you can look up people in your area that do this.
897351
LOL!  Slow down. =)  I've been wearing them since I was 13.  I'm 36.  They won't fall out, ever!  They won't melt in your eyes, ever!  You should remove them before going into a tanning bed, but regular laying out is no problem at all.  They won't cut your eyes either, BUT you have to follow your schedule precisely to work into them.  Your Dr. will tell you how to do this.  The reason is that if you wear them too long before your eyes have gotten used to them, it can cause a corneal abrasion...a scratch on the eye.  If that happens, it doesn't cause any long-term damage, and it heals in a few days, but it is incredibly painful.  The good news is that if you follow your schedule this won't happen.  It is more likely to happen in hard lenses than soft.  Most people can wear soft lenses.  As for things flying into your eyes:  It happens, whether you wear lenses or not.  It's not any more common for lens wearers than for non-lens wearers.  You can usually just work it out, but on ocassion you might have to remove your lens, rinse it off with saline, and put it back in.  No biggie.\n\nYou're not supposed to swim in them, but I always have and have never lost one.  It isn't advisable though.\n\nThe only real risk with contacts is if you just don't clean them, or if you wear a pair that isn't prescribed for you.  In either of those instances, you can end up getting an infection, and that can be serious.  In the eye, you can get such a serious infection that your sight is risked before you even feel it.  Now that I've scared you with the truth, let me say that I am not aware of a single case of this happening.  So rare that it's hardly worth discussing, but it wouldn't be honest to not mention it.  Just clean them as your Dr. prescribes, and they will become as much a part of your life as your earrings or mascara.  There's nothing to be afraid of, especially if you get the more comfortable soft lenses.
1007204
you no longer have to have 20/20 vision--a few sailors/Marines get waivers and get PRK (eye surgery).  I also belive they are now allowing soft contacts but I'll have to look up the info on that--if I find it I'll post it.  You have to be an office, so if you already have a degree you can go to Navy OCS.  If you do not you can join NROTC or get your degree on your own then go to OCS (I'd recommend ROTC).  I know of some OCs (Officer Candidates...enlisted who are in an ROTC program to get their commission) who were in their early 30s and were told they could get an aviation billet.  I can't recall the age limit right off--contact an ROTC instructor or a recruiter.  \nYour grades need to be good--not necessarily perfect, but good.  You need to do well on your ASTB...prefferably on the 1st time to get it over with.  You need to be physically fit too and in good health to pass your PRT and flight physical.  \nContact me if you have any questions and I'll try to help, smeagolyduck13 on AOL AIM.\nhttp://www.airwarriors.com/forum/index.php\nis a great forum for aviators/wannabes and they should be able to answer any questions.
873656
yes but it depends on your prescription and your refractive and defractive go talk to a recruiter he can show you the REGS
222565
I've had them for over 20 years. \nTips:\nWash your hands before touching them.\nUse fresh solution every night. Scrub out the case once a week.\nIf you have disposables, wear them as directed, not longer.\nIf they aren't the kind you can sleep in, don't sleep in them--they'll stick to your eyes. If that happens, pour saline into your eyes until the contacts loosen.\nYou'll need to get a good pair of 100% UV sunglasses as your eyes are more senstitive to light with contacts in.\nIf you get an eye infection or pinkeye, go right to your medical doctor for the drops. You'll have to toss that pair of lenses and put fresh ones in when your eyes are better.\nDo whatever your eye care person tells you to do.
323778
It is possible to surf if nearsighted. It is an advantage to be able to clearly see the wave coming in and determine where and how it is going to break. I am near sighted and wear contacts when I surf. I wear disposable contacts. The contacts fit well and I have never lost a contact while surfing. I even wear my contacts while swimming. You usually don't have your eyes open when underwater.
859304
Yes you can get PRK through the navy.  You have to be screened first, and approval from your chain of command.  There is a priority bassed on job for waiting.  I was priority 2 due to being an MA, right now they are trying to get as many people through before deployments. It's easier than trying to replace glasses while deployed.
1019889
The fit of your contacts will determine if your contact lenses fall out or not. More likely than not, they should fall out if you open your eyes completely underwater. If you have the "breathable", soft or disposable lenses, its not really a good idea to open your eyes with contacts on in chlorinated water. The lenses will absorb the minerals/chlorine in the water and it will be stuck in your lenses. Although, small traces of chlorine are not harmful to the eyes, extended periods will irritate or dry out your eyes.