Some misinformation from a few here.
We DO NOT get contact lenses free! They ARE NOT subsidised by the RAF. We pay for them just like anyone else, it's just that they were sourced through the Dept of Optometry.
The Dept also did our annual eye checks; they are free, just like they are if you get your eyes tested for your flying specs. Actually there is a saving to the RAF; they do not provide as many pairs of the free specs if we choose to fly in contact lenses that we have paid for.
So Mr C H, Phil_R, any chance of a retraction of your ill informed comments?
Fortissimo - well said, but I believe that there also used to be an outpatient clinic covering the 3 main Scottish stations. So a team of one or two travelled from Cwl to Scotland for a couple of days to cover all the dozens of Scottish-based users, rather than the dozens of Scottish based users having to travel to Birmingham. Good use of T & S? No, thought not.