# Does the army supply free glasses?



## INGm (28 May 2005)

I just have a question.  Does the military supply free prescribed glasses for those who need it once we pass all the training?


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## D-n-A (28 May 2005)

For reserve, no, unless you go on operation. For Reg Force, I dunno.


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## Kat Stevens (28 May 2005)

No, we find it very amusing to watch you run about and fire rounds off in all directions... 

Kat


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## Goober (28 May 2005)

At basic you'll get 2 free pair. I think you're entitled to $200 every year for eyewear, or every 2 years, I forget.


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## paracowboy (28 May 2005)

Kat Stevens said:
			
		

> No, we find it very amusing to watch you run about and fire rounds off in all directions...
> 
> Kat


BWAAHAHAHAAA! Coffee everywhere!

To answer your question: Yes.
To answer it truthfully: Yes, but you won't want to wear them. They're contraception devices you wear on your face.


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## Island Ryhno (28 May 2005)

LMAO, contraception device for your face! You sexy thing. Hi my name is Pte Bubbles. Yeah dude, you'll be making more than enough money to get some nice glasses, although I wouldn't wear the nice ones on training, because you know they're going to get busted up. Lots of places have that 2 for 1 deal, so get a nice pair and get a pair that you wouldn't care about smashing. Save your stylish glasses for the ladies!  8)


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## Thompson_JM (29 May 2005)

for reservists who wear glasses I have found that a pair of "Flexon" glasses are probabbly best. If you can only afford one pair. they are very flexible, and you can probabbly step on em, and they wont break.. Ive had two pairs now and theyre great!


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## qor556 (29 May 2005)

Instead, if you can, just opt for contact lenses. There are some great and cheap ones you can get where they stay in weeks at a time straight. No need to put them in/take them out, especially with dirty hands in the field.. and won't fog up in the winter time, especially wearing the balaclava. Glasses are a pain anyways.


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## TCBF (29 May 2005)

Up to last fall, I always got two pair every two years if needed.  They were free if I chose the aproved frames, which were the plastic 60s Buddy Holly types until the early seventies, when metal was aproved.  If I did not like the Army frames, I could buy civie, and pay the difference.  They supplied combat glasses as well for wear in the gas mask (birth control glasses), but the frames are getting hard to get.  Prescription sunglasses were provided as well, if going on tour.

As of last fall, only one pair every two years, and the second pair, cobat glasses and sunglasses only if going on tour.

Tom


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## Inch (29 May 2005)

qor556 said:
			
		

> Instead, if you can, just opt for contact lenses. There are some great and cheap ones you can get where they stay in weeks at a time straight. No need to put them in/take them out, especially with dirty hands in the field.. and won't fog up in the winter time, especially wearing the balaclava. Glasses are a pain anyways.



You can't wear contacts in the gas hut so you're going to need a pair of glasses anyway.


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## Donut (30 May 2005)

Take a look at the statistics for contact lenses and eye infections, mild or severe, and rethink wearing contacts in the field.  They're a recipe for disaster; trust me, I've seen it several times.  

In fact, the stats now show that lifetime contact lens wearers have a higher incidence of infection then the complication rate of most laser surgery procedures.

The old respirator glasses are hard to come by because they've been replaced by a spring-retained lens set that fits and stays inside the C4 mask, held in place very securely so you can actually do an effective, and fast, IA decontam drill without problems.

DF


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## qor556 (30 May 2005)

I don't see the problem with contacts if you use them properly as advised and clean/sanitize them properly. The contacts that are coming out with now are an improvement to older ones (and I am guessing the stats on lens wearers are with older pairs of contacts), especially with the extended wear ones. And I do not see how one can compare it to laser eye surgery and draw conclusions to the infection rate because it has only been available for commercial use for the past couple years (OK maybe 3-4 years).

Well it is true, you cannot avoid using glasses, when it is needed when using the C4 gas mask.


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## cgyflames01 (30 May 2005)

Cpl Thompson said:
			
		

> for reservists who wear glasses I have found that a pair of "Flexon" glasses are probabbly best. If you can only afford one pair. they are very flexible, and you can probabbly step on em, and they wont break.. Ive had two pairs now and theyre great!


The problem with flexon glasses, is they don't shape to your face, and my old pair went crooked quite fast.


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## scottyeH? (30 May 2005)

If you got the money, and the time go get LASIK surgery(which i'll be doing in a few months). or a nice pair of prescription sunglasses just for the style  :warstory:


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## Dare (30 May 2005)

cgyflames01 said:
			
		

> The problem with flexon glasses, is they don't shape to your face, and my old pair went crooked quite fast.


I've been using flexon glasses for years, that's absolutely true. If you don't get them shaped properly by the seller, they'll be stuck like that. Other than that, though, they're a fantastic frame. Just don't bend them like they do in the commercials, one of my pair met the fate of a kit kat bar.


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## Inch (30 May 2005)

qor556 said:
			
		

> I don't see the problem with contacts if you use them properly as advised and clean/sanitize them properly.



That's exactly the point, you can't always be completely sanitary in the field, or at least not sanitary enough to be sticking shit in your eyes. I'd take glasses anyday of the week if I needed corrective lenses.

And I hope you don't get dust or dirt in your eye, it's just like sandpaper under your contact lense. It leads to your cornea being scratched and then getting infected, but they're your eyes.


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