Nearly 8 years AD Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller. Back in August I had rapid loss of vision in my right eye. After weeks of tests at various medical facilities they determined the varicella zostrov virus (chicken pox) had reactivated in my right eye. Thankfully they had that as a possibility and was on the correct medication from the start, but it progressed so rapidly that the damage was already done. Just days after it began my visual acuity in my right eye was worse than 20/800 and has not improved since.
During the C&P exams the VA had to contract out an ophthalmologist with QTC because the VA didn't have any in Alaska. I failed every test he administered miserably to include the Snellen chart, I can't see the giant E on top. He asked me to guess in which I replied "I can recite the alphabet if you want, but I can't see it". His report concluded that my vision in the right eye was somehow 20/100 and my left eye was 20/40... I passed every test with my left eye.
My flight doctor was irate with the vision report and wrote a rebuttal letter to discredit it considering its documented by 4 different medical facilities and over a dozen doctors that my vision has never been better than 20/800. Unfortunately it didn't work and my ratings came back yesterday, 10% Dod for retina scars and 30% VA.
So we've filed for a FPEB, scheduled another full eye exam to prove it's 20/800, and argue that my unfitting condition should be visual acuity 20/800 considering I couldn't retrain if I wanted to as retention standards for the air force is 20/400. My vision was as it is now before the scars even formed.
With all that being said I feel we have a very solid case to present, but I'm curious on how long everyone has waited recently for a FPEB? My PEBLO stated that the last few she's done they didn't even fly them down to Randolph and just adjusted their ratings within 30 days of filing, which would be great.
During the C&P exams the VA had to contract out an ophthalmologist with QTC because the VA didn't have any in Alaska. I failed every test he administered miserably to include the Snellen chart, I can't see the giant E on top. He asked me to guess in which I replied "I can recite the alphabet if you want, but I can't see it". His report concluded that my vision in the right eye was somehow 20/100 and my left eye was 20/40... I passed every test with my left eye.
My flight doctor was irate with the vision report and wrote a rebuttal letter to discredit it considering its documented by 4 different medical facilities and over a dozen doctors that my vision has never been better than 20/800. Unfortunately it didn't work and my ratings came back yesterday, 10% Dod for retina scars and 30% VA.
So we've filed for a FPEB, scheduled another full eye exam to prove it's 20/800, and argue that my unfitting condition should be visual acuity 20/800 considering I couldn't retrain if I wanted to as retention standards for the air force is 20/400. My vision was as it is now before the scars even formed.
With all that being said I feel we have a very solid case to present, but I'm curious on how long everyone has waited recently for a FPEB? My PEBLO stated that the last few she's done they didn't even fly them down to Randolph and just adjusted their ratings within 30 days of filing, which would be great.