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"Custom PRK"

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I'm getting my eyes done over Thanksgiving or Christmas break. The doc said they do "custom PRK" whereas regular PRK would be "the same" for each person (so long as they have the same correction).

I don't know how much more it is, but is it worth it or just hype?
 

theblakeness

Charlie dont surf!
pilot
from everything I have read, Yes..it is worth the hype.

Regular corrects much like eyeglasses or contacts, where it corrects by .25diopeters. Whereas custom can correct within .001 diopeters.

Its my understanding that with custom there is a much better chance of attaining better than 20/20 vision.


Good luck! Im considering going in during christmas. Im tired of wearing contacts.
 

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
from everything I have read, Yes..it is worth the hype.

Regular corrects much like eyeglasses or contacts, where it corrects by .25diopeters. Whereas custom can correct within .001 diopeters.

Its my understanding that with custom there is a much better chance of attaining better than 20/20 vision.


Good luck! Im considering going in during christmas. Im tired of wearing contacts.

Sounds expensive....

I'm tired of contacts as well...

Hope the insurance company comes back and says they'll help me out.

GL with yours.. I'm going to have to do OCC probably b/c of the 6 month wait before getting a contract, wish I was in your position.
 

theblakeness

Charlie dont surf!
pilot
Sounds expensive....

I'm tired of contacts as well...

Hope the insurance company comes back and says they'll help me out.

GL with yours.. I'm going to have to do OCC probably b/c of the 6 month wait before getting a contract, wish I was in your position.

how bad is your vision? According to NAMI that if your vision is less than -6.00 than its only a 3 month wait to submit waiver.
 

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
how bad is your vision? According to NAMI that if your vision is less than -6.00 than its only a 3 month wait to submit waiver.

no shit? I was told it was 6 months

-3.50

Still kind of cuttin it close to apply... 3 months from Thanksgiving or Christmas
 

xmid

Registered User
pilot
Contributor
edit- I just read the contact lense portion, whats the deal with that? It says there you don't need a waiver?

You can do a search if you want because this has been covered extensively, but suffice it to say its generally reserved for winged aviators. The general consensus is that they aren't giving those out to applicants at this time.
 

NozeMan

Are you threatening me?
pilot
Super Moderator
Custom is worth the hype....for the most part.

I had to have custom done to my eyes because of larger than normal pupils. I ended up 20/20 left and 20/25 right. Pretty darn good results, but it is more expensive. I think it tacked on another grand or so to the cost. But hell, theyre youre eyes, spend the dough.

Plan on NAMI taking a long time. Let's face it, paperwork gets lost etc. I submitted EVERYTHING in October of my senior year....I was granted the waiver less than 24 hrs prior to my comissioning on 12 May. Crap gets lost or your paperwork ends up on the bottom of the stack.
 

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Custom is worth the hype....for the most part.

I had to have custom done to my eyes because of larger than normal pupils. I ended up 20/20 left and 20/25 right.

What was your vision with contacts/glasses before the procedure?

I'm wondering if because I have 20/20 and 20/15 (l/r) with -3.5 if I should just go with regular because from what he told me its nothing more than putting the correction into your eyes.

but if the most my eyes could get corrected to with contacts/glasses was for example 20/40, then would I go with the custom because they needed that extra accuracy instead of the .25 intervals?
 

UMichfly

Well-Known Member
pilot
None
I had Custom done on the Navy's dime about a month ago. The benefit that you get with custom is that the laser actually corrects some of the higher order abberations (pronounced "little annoying ass irregularities in your eye") and makes you less prone to halos/glare and the like. NAMI recommends that all prospective aviators get custom unless something precludes that.
 

MettGT

Registered User
pilot
Go with the custom. They're your eyes and you only get one pair. Don't skimp because it'll save you a buck. Besides, as it's been said before, NAMI recommends custom.
 
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