Who bears the cost for corneal refractive surgery for aircrew?

• A. By their own expense
• B. By the aircrew's unit
• C. By insurance
• D. No charge to aircrew

Answer: (A)

The situation hinges on who is responsible for elective vision correction for aircrew. Refractive surgery is considered an elective procedure and not something the air force typically funds for flight personnel. It’s a personal decision with potential risks and post-operative considerations that could temporarily ground a pilot or affect flight safety, so the standard expectation is that the individual bears the cost. Insurance coverage is generally unlikely for elective refractive surgery, and units usually do not cover it as a routine benefit. In short, this is treated as the aircrew member’s own expense, unless there’s a very specific, exceptional policy or medical necessity that changes that coverage.