Career Issues

[Matthew_]

Hi everyone!
My story continues to develop! I am a Navy Diver by trade which means I need to have annual medicals. Although I passed all the fitness tests and so on, my eyes are now well below the standard required so I have failed my medical and cannot dive at the moment. This is not an immediate problem because the Navy is currently employing me in a different role but it does mean I lose my diving pay which is a bit of a sting! In the Navy you tend to be trained in a number of areas but you also get broad management jobs in between specialist jobs. So altough I am in-between diving jobs I might get stuck and never get back to the diving branch. There are also a number of operations jobs I will not be able to do anymore. It basically means just doing management and leadership type jobs from now on.
The good side is that the Navy will pay for my lenses and it looks like they will get me magnification software and a viskeys keyboard and so on.
I just need the lenses now, I've still got about 10 weeks to wait, which seems like forever. The doctor thinks the Rose K lens is the way to go...
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[BusyLizzy]

I'l try again, since this message ended up as a new topic in the board instead of a reply to your post.

Welcome!
Which area of Scotland are you in? The reason I'm curious is to know which hospital you're having your lenses fitted at.
I attend the RAH Paisley (for 5 years now) and have been down the RGP route, the Aquasil route, and now have an old fashioned true "hard" PMMA lens. I've never been offered a Rose K. (They've never even mentioned it...perhaps they're not aware of its existence).
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[Gareth2]

I use the rose K lens in my right eye and have had them for a few years now. I guess different specialists use different aprouches to the condition, best of luck with your career. what I found with this condition is you may think it is end of world to have to stop doing something but then another door opens up bescause of it.

[Matthew_]

Thanks to both of you. I live in Helensburgh and I am using Gartnaval at the moment. The opthamologist there reckoned the Rose lenses were very good but I think that may have had something to do with coming from the same country as Mr Rose (New Zealand apparently). I am sure everyone has their favourites, I just can't wait to try something, anything!

[jayuk]

Matthew

The good thing about dealing with KC in this day and age, is that there are sooo many types of lenses now...each offering advantages and disadvantages.....so if one design doesnt work....we move on to the other!.....

J

[Andrew MacLean]

Rose K is a nice lens. I had a pair for a while, and found them very comfortable.

Do you see only Navy doctors or do you see people in the civilian health service? Gartnavel Hospital has an excellent contact lens clinic. If you can get a referral to them I'm sure you'd find it a help.

I was never in the Armed Forces but never had to wait as long as you for a new lens.

Andrew

[Matthew_]

Andrew,
I am referred through Gartnaval. The Navy uses local NHS where practical but we do have our own eye-specialists because of professional requirements such as diving, aircrew, shooting and so on. So far I am using Gartnaval because our eye specialists are in Portsmouth which is impractical. That said, I might end up at Portsmouth to deal with the diving considerations. I got diagnosed at the beginning of July and so far the contact lens clinic do not even have my referral letter. Its a bit frustrating but I am sure the lenses will be worth it. It may be that should I be referred to Portsmouth, I will get the lenses sooner...

[Andrew MacLean]

All the best with this. At least Gartnavel is handy for the train!

Over the years that I visited the department there (firstly at the old eye infirmary and then transferred to gartnavel) I found them excellent. Maybe the longest wait is the original referral!

All the best

Andrew

[Matthew_]

I think you are right. I have spoken a couple of times to the Contact Lens Clinic on the phone, a man called Gordon. He seems very helpful and I suspect things will move a lot quicker once I am fully inducted into the system. At the moment I am just one of very many cases the hospital has to deal with! I am just off to speak to a Surgeon Commander about my fate vis a vis employment. Will let you know how it goes! (gulp!)

[Matthew_]

Hello everyone,
Just an update on what is happening to my career since diagnosed. I have just completed an appointment with a Navy Doctor (Surgeon Commander) There were two concerns: 1. I am a diver by trade - so could I continue to dive?
2. What were the consequences for my employment in the Navy generally?

On the first subject it was good news (ish). The VA standards for diving are pretty low because good eyesight is not essential. Basically you need 6/36 (worst eye); 6/24 (best eye) and 6/24 with both eyes (together). I am just in since that is exactly my eyesight - 6/36 Left and 6/24 Right. It seems likely after they have made a couple of calls to the Diving Medicine guys that I will retain my fitness to dive. Of course, my eyes could get worse and then I will have to give it up but that's another day.
On the more general employability, I will have to go for a medical board of survey but it is very likely that I will not be able to go to sea or be employed in field conditions because of the difficulty of using lenses in those environments. Someone is bound to know someone with KC in Afganistan at the moment? This all means that my career is effectively halted in its tracks but I am not too worried about that. I might also be discharged but I'm OK about that too. It would be a shame but I was considering doing something else anyway. I am just glad this did not crop up later when it might be too late for a second career.
The only issue now is getting the referral letter from Gartnaval so that the process can get going and I can speak to a Naval Opthamologist. Also getting the lenses will help me to work out what I will and wont be able to do in the Navy. Until then it is waiting game...