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OCS PRK Waiting Period

jjryan07

Iron Eagle
I had successful PRK in May. I just went in today for my 3 month checkup. My vision is stable at 20/20 combined, 20/20 right, and 20/15 left. I would recommend the surgery to anyone, whether they are gunning for flight or anything else. I got the surgery knowing there was a 6 month waiting period to get PQ'd for OCS. Currently that puts me at mid-November before I can qualify. However, talking to my OR this week he said that I should talk to my doctor, and ask him if he sees a need to wait 3 more months. My doctor said he saw no reason as my vision has been stable for 2 months and I am no longer on any medications or eyedrops. My OR said he should put that in my packet to submit to MEPS and see if they will see me early. I have already been pro-rec'd so this would really just help my process along. Has anyone else ever tried this or heard of anyone having success in getting the 6 month waiting period waived?
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
MEPS goes by hard an fast rules, they are not people friendly, they don't care. The bending of the rules is what the individual services can do when they get the paperwork after MEPS.
 

Dmavs

NPQ unfortunately does not= "Navy Pilot Qualified"
I don't mean to hijack this thread but if I decide to get the surgery done a year or 2 before applying for OCS, would I still have to wait those 6 months?

Just curious jjryan..What were your pre-op numbers?
 

jjryan07

Iron Eagle
According to my understanding you cannot be qualified physically for service until 6 months after your surgery. If you had the surgery a year before applying you would have already waited a year. I had the surgery in May, applied in the July board, was pro-rec'd last week, and will be awaiting a PQ in November. I was 20/400 before surgery.

Navyoffrec, thanks for the reply. I was expecting that, as was my recruiter I believe. I think we are just hoping to slip through the cracks or just have some luck with just a single person at MEPS. We will see I guess.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
According to my understanding you cannot be qualified physically for service until 6 months after your surgery. If you had the surgery a year before applying you would have already waited a year. I had the surgery in May, applied in the July board, was pro-rec'd last week, and will be awaiting a PQ in November. I was 20/400 before surgery.

Navyoffrec, thanks for the reply. I was expecting that, as was my recruiter I believe. I think we are just hoping to slip through the cracks or just have some luck with just a single person at MEPS. We will see I guess.

Even if MEPS missed it, N3M would catch it.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Well that is disappointing news... Thanks for the insight though.

You should have been planning on it, or did your OR not inform you of this beforehand? FYI, N3M doesn't go by 20/400 or 20/20 they go by -2.5 or -5.0 etc... for surgery info.

In regards to vision they do go by 20/20, and such, for instance if you see 20/20 -1 that means you read the 20/20 line but missed on letter/number.
 

jjryan07

Iron Eagle
He gave me the understanding that it was a long shot. I was just hoping to get on here and find someone else who had had success. This is what I expected. After hearing the potential for how late OCS could be for some, I was just really hoping to some how speed up my process. If I cannot PQ until after mid-November does that really put me at a high likelihood of a OCS date in summer '13 or after?

As far as those numbers go for my vision, I couldn't tell you. I am waiting on the copies of all of my medical info from my eye doc, but I can let you know when I get them, Dmavs.

As always, thanks for the input NavyOffRec
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
He gave me the understanding that it was a long shot. I was just hoping to get on here and find someone else who had had success. This is what I expected. After hearing the potential for how late OCS could be for some, I was just really hoping to some how speed up my process. If I cannot PQ until after mid-November does that really put me at a high likelihood of a OCS date in summer '13 or after?

As far as those numbers go for my vision, I couldn't tell you. I am waiting on the copies of all of my medical info from my eye doc, but I can let you know when I get them, Dmavs.

As always, thanks for the input NavyOffRec

When you go really depends on how many decide not to go and how many are not physically qualified too many variables right now.
 

Dmavs

NPQ unfortunately does not= "Navy Pilot Qualified"
Thanks, jjryan. I'm 20/800 (-8.00) if that makes you feel any better.. ;) Good luck.
 

jjryan07

Iron Eagle
Going in tomorrow for my 6 month post op. NavyOffRec, or anyone else for that matter, can you enlighten me on just what I have to have done? I just want to make sure I don't miss anything when I go. My OR gave me a sheet to record numbers for pre-op, post-op, 1 month post-op, 6 month post-op, and 1 year post-op. The 1 year thing kind of threw me because I know you only have to wait 6 months. Anyway I believe I need my visual acuity and prescription for each eye. Do I need to be dilated? Should I be able to give this sheet to the doctor and he will have no problems carrying out the needed tests? This is the form I am taking tomorrow:
 

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