Best timeline to plan PRK if I have 4 years

[DSL1990]

I don't go to college until next year. And then I have 4 years until selection in NROTC. I guess there is lots of time to get PRK or LASEK during that time.

I'm trying to figure out the best time for me to plan to get PRK or LASEK and the procedures around that.

As I understand it, I can't get PRK or LASEK before I start NROTC since I will be DQ'ed by the DODMERB and waivers won't be recommended:
https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/physicalreq.cfm

So that means no PRK as a high-school graduation present.

So after I join NROTC, can I get PRK? Or do I need to wait until after I apply for SNA? Or do I need to wait until I after I am selected for SNA? And when do I apply for a waiver? Can I apply for a waiver before I actually apply for SNA? Or can I only apply for a waiver after I have started the SNA application? If I can get the PRK myself, how should I time the PRK so that I have the best shot of having everything go well and be able to make all the deadlines for SNA selection.

I was thinking about PRK as a freshman, or the summer after my freshman year, but before the summer cruise, but I'd be worried that my eye sight could change in the 2.5 years until selection... Also, I'd probably only consider it if I wasn't successful getting in to USNA - I want to apply for USNA as a freshman in college, and I understand that laser vision correction of any kind is a definite DQ from USNA unless it is done there.

 

[armada1651]

Most doctors won't perform PRK until you're at least 20-22. By that point your eyes have stopped changing enough to make it practical and safe. So don't count on doing it before that. And even if you do find a doctor who'll do it, definitely DON'T do it before NROTC because there's paperwork the Navy needs filled out for your waiver process.

I had PRK done 15 August of this past year (summer before my senior year). Got SNA selection in the fall. Still waiting for medical to go through but the CDR eye doctor at Oak Harbor told me the waiver process is pretty much automatic, just a matter of waiting for paperwork to get processed.

 

[DSL1990]

Most doctors won't perform PRK until you're at least 20-22. By that point your eyes have stopped changing enough to make it practical and safe. So don't count on doing it before that. And even if you do find a doctor who'll do it, definitely DON'T do it before NROTC because there's paperwork the Navy needs filled out for your waiver process.

I had PRK done 15 August of this past year (summer before my senior year). Got SNA selection in the fall. Still waiting for medical to go through but the CDR eye doctor at Oak Harbor told me the waiver process is pretty much automatic, just a matter of waiting for paperwork to get processed.

Armada1650:

What paperwork did you have to do with the Navy, NROTC, or DODMERB before you got your PRK? Did you have to tell anyone you were going to get it done?

Did you to see a Navy ophthalmologist or optometrist before the PRK?

Where did you get your PRK done, if you don't mind saying?

Did you get Wavefront PRK or the regular PRK?

 

[armada1651]

Armada1650:

What paperwork did you have to do with the Navy, NROTC, or DODMERB before you got your PRK? Did you have to tell anyone you were going to get it done?

Did you to see a Navy ophthalmologist or optometrist before the PRK?

Where did you get your PRK done, if you don't mind saying?

Did you get Wavefront PRK or the regular PRK?

There's basically a worksheet the doctor needs to fill out giving the evaluation of your eyes and all the pre-op, operative, and post-op notes. The sheet will tell you what's needed. The surgery needs to be approved by your command I'm pretty sure - don't know if that's an official Navy-wide policy, but I'm pretty confident every CO is gonna want to know ahead of time. Definitely don't surprise them with something like that. Also, once your NROTC you're pretty much through with DODMERB, you work with BUMED.

No, I didn't see any Navy eye people beforehand, there aren't any around here - only Air Force and they aren't really willing to work with us at all.

Moran Eye Center, University of Utah

Wavefront - eye surgery is not something you want to try to cut costs on

 

[tlevine]

I had PRK done in June of 2006. I am currently in flight training at Corpus Christi. I had the surgery done the summer of junior year during my sea year at the USMMA. PRK and LASEK, I believe are synonymous and they are the same procedure. As for most doctors not performing the surgery if you are under the age of 20 that is true. My doctor personally would not recommend surgery to anyone under 21 because of the possibility that the eyes are still changing with growth. Wait until you get into NROTC before you do it and that way the NROTC officers can give you the necessary paperwork as well as the Navy limitations on the surgery for you doctor to go over and fill out. This paperwork includes a Post-Op report (right after surgery) and a 6 month post-op report. Follow-up reports in between are not necessary but may expedite your waiver processing if the reviewing doctor sees good and progressive healing. For me, I went right back to school after surgery so I only had a 3 month post-op instead of the 6 month. What that meant was when I got my flight selection physical, they did the 6 month check then. My eyes were good 20/15, 20/10 the other, so the waiver was processed without a hitch and there are no limiting factors to my duty. I only had to worry about DoDMERB when I was applying for the Air Force Academy some years back before I saw the light (I hate manicured golf courses and high standards of living) and went Navy. While in NROTC I think you will be dealing more with NOMI/NAMI (Naval Operational Medical Institute/Naval Aviation Medical Institute) than with DoDMERB, but I could be wrong.

Mind you, when they say moderate discomfort immediately after surgery, they may mean excruciating pain. I know in my case I didn't have nearly enough pain killers for the first few days, but it is all worth it in my opinion and then again, your experience may vary. Just be prepared to be bored a few days after surgery since you cannot watch TV, go on computer, and technically should be resting.

 

[armada1651]

^PRK and LASEK are slightly different - I believe with LASEK they move the epithelial layer to the side to perform the procedure by loosening it with some alcohol solution or something, whereas with PRK they just go straight through it and let it grow back (which it does quickly). I could be wrong though, I didn't have LASEK. As for the post-op checkups, that may have changed slightly. As it stands now, if you're eyes are outside of certain parameters you need to have a 6 month, otherwise the 3 month is enough I think - my eyes were really bad beforehand so I need the 6 month post-op check for the waiver. Last I had them checked I was 20/15 in one eye and almost 20/15 in the other, and the doctor said he expected them to improve a little more still. As for DODMERB, I don't know what they do aside from trying to screw people out of the service academies but in NROTC we deal with BUMED pretty much exclusively. I don't think I dealt with NAMI until selected SNA.

Oh, and the pain I'm sure varies person to person. I really didn't think it was that bad. My roommate had it done and made me expect it to be excruciating, but I never took any prescription painkillers at all (unless there's something in the eyedrops - obviously, use the eyedrops exactly how they tell you to).

 

[tlevine]

^PRK and LASEK are slightly different - I believe with LASEK they move the epithelial layer to the side to perform the procedure by loosening it with some alcohol solution or something, whereas with PRK they just go straight through it and let it grow back (which it does quickly). I could be wrong though, I didn't have LASEK. As for the post-op checkups, that may have changed slightly. As it stands now, if you're eyes are outside of certain parameters you need to have a 6 month, otherwise the 3 month is enough I think - my eyes were really bad beforehand so I need the 6 month post-op check for the waiver. Last I had them checked I was 20/15 in one eye and almost 20/15 in the other, and the doctor said he expected them to improve a little more still. As for DODMERB, I don't know what they do aside from trying to screw people out of the service academies but in NROTC we deal with BUMED pretty much exclusively. I don't think I dealt with NAMI until selected SNA.

Oh, and the pain I'm sure varies person to person. I really didn't think it was that bad. My roommate had it done and made me expect it to be excruciating, but I never took any prescription painkillers at all (unless there's something in the eyedrops - obviously, use the eyedrops exactly how they tell you to).

I dealt with BUMED I think before the surgery, but NOMI/NAMI is what I dealt with after, at least not directly, my liaison officer did. All paperwork I sent ultimately was reviewed there. As far as LASEK you did jog my memory, you are right, they try to save the epithelial layer, but my doctor didn't recommend it since the alcohol usually kills a lot of the cells anyway.

 

[DSL1990]

Here's an answer to my own question-

An NROTC Commander who is a Marine aviator said on Friday that the best time for PRK is early in your Junior year of college. It is late enough that your vision has a chance to stabilize and yet is early enough not to cause problems for service selection.

 

[ea6bflyr]

I used to counsel my MIDN about PRK; here are the highlights:

1. Ensure your eyes are stable. No eyesight change in the previous year. As someone else mentioned, you are not done growing/changing until around 20/21. So your PNS comments are spot on! If you have been wearing glasses since you were 12 and your eyesight hasn't changed, then you might be done changing. CONSULT A DOCTOR and try to re-create documentation of when your eyes changed.

2. Understand the risks associated with getting PRK. If the surgery fails, you could be UNCOMMISSIONABLE! Bottom line: You MUST be correctable 20/20 to get a commission.

3. Get a reputable eye surgeon and ask lots of questions.

4. Document all pre/post eye surgery consult. Expect at least 6 months of eye healing....maybe more.

5. Keep your Chain of Command informed of your plans/recovery (NROTC or OSO).

Hope this helps.

- ea6bflyr