Can I enlist in the Airforce with astigmatism and color blindness?

Question

I was just wondering if it were possible? With my color blindness, I can see all the various colors except the various hues of blues, greens, yellows, and reds are hard to distinguish. Differentiating pastel colors aren't my strong spot LOL.

Answer 1

You will not be allowed to do any piloting , technical , electronic or painting  work on the aircraft. Rather try something else. These characteristics are ideal fro a modern day politician.

Answer 2

Depends on the degree, most people are astigmatic to some extent, and in the American Air force it is possible to be colour blind and also on flight duty, the reason for this is because in America, there is a soft lense, that can be worn, over the less dominant eye that allows a person to see colours, it is known as the "x-chrom" lens, and was invented by the late Dr Harry Zeltzman, it first appeared on the "Tomorrows World" program, on the BBC, and I was the first person to have this fitted in England !

I rang the BBC during this part of the program, and ordered it before the item was over, it was sent at great expense, ( it still costs about the same as it did 34 years ago, despite now being available in many different forms,and a soft version, while I had the hard version, which was a lot less comfortable, in real terms the cost has dropped dramatically, for this item ),  to England and fitted in a matter of days, I am red green colour blind and I too have some problems distinguishing the pastel shades, but this effect was astonishing, and for the first time in my life, I could see that a tree was actually a living organism, not inert, like a concrete building, it was simply astonishing.....

The lense can be fitted, these days by Dolland and Aitchison, ( my last one was by the service in The parade, in Sutton Coldfield ), but there is also the contact lens centre, in Birmingham that does these, whether the Air Force will accept that these are safe, is another matter, but it is a disability, and as such, they are not outside the law, which requires them not to discriminate against disabled people, and to offer alternative work should this disability affect the work in question.....but get one from any optician who can deal with colour sight problems,it is amazing, try the tests, and see for yourself, it may open up a whole new world, in every sense for you......and what is best of all, the colour discrimination improves, the longer you use it....it is, I repeat, absolutely amazing !!!!!

Answer 3

sure, but you won't be a pilot.

Answer 4

They will probably take you, but your job choices will be limited.