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LASIK Now an Option
- Thread starter Crazy*Carl
- Start date
Crazy*Carl
New Member
I got it after 6.
The reg says AT LEAST three months. They can set a higher standard if they wish.
To anyone out there who has gone through this process,
I am getting my consult done tomorrow for WFG LASIK. I'm wondering what the waiver guide means when it says in 12.15B "Applicants must have screening vision exam performed at one of 10 participating screening sites" (it then lists 10 locations). What is this "screening vision exam"? Is this supposed to be pre-op or post-op? I don't think I will be able to get the time off of work to make it to one of these places before the surgery.
Also, what is the process that guarantees you entry into the LASIK in Student Aviators Study? That is still unclear to me. It sounds like you just apply for a waiver as you would PRK and they place you in this study. But I don't want to get my eyes fried for nothing and I can't seem to find any straight answers.
I am getting my consult done tomorrow for WFG LASIK. I'm wondering what the waiver guide means when it says in 12.15B "Applicants must have screening vision exam performed at one of 10 participating screening sites" (it then lists 10 locations). What is this "screening vision exam"? Is this supposed to be pre-op or post-op? I don't think I will be able to get the time off of work to make it to one of these places before the surgery.
Also, what is the process that guarantees you entry into the LASIK in Student Aviators Study? That is still unclear to me. It sounds like you just apply for a waiver as you would PRK and they place you in this study. But I don't want to get my eyes fried for nothing and I can't seem to find any straight answers.
That 'screening' is post op. Earliest it will happen is 6 months for PRK or LASIK if your not currently an aviator in the Navy - so it really doesn't matter which surgery you get. Recovery time is much faster for LASIK, but if you're doctor thinks PRK works better for you long term, go for that (should be cheaper anyway, right?) The process is pretty much the same for both surgeries:
Assuming you've completed MEPS already, wait until 6 months is up post op, contact your recruiter to set up a flight exam at the closest of those 10 locations. Bring all of your post-op paperwork from 1, 3, and 6 month follow-up appointments. They do a real-deal optical exam, which takes a good 45 minutes. If your eyes check out, within a few weeks you'll have your waiver. I hope that helps, I was also confused by this process and this is information I have gathered from members on this forum who have gone through it.
As for the LASIK, from what I understand, nothing guarantees you a spot in the study, but there really isn't a max number they will allow. All I know is that with LASIK, you need to be part of the study to get a waiver. This just entails a few extra surveys/exams down in Pensacola after OCS. As far as 'studies' go, the more critical mass, the better - so I couldn't see a reason why they wouldn't let someone into the study so long as they were qualified.
If someone knows otherwise, please correct me - I would hate to have bad info out there....especially since I am in the midst of this process myself.
Thanks shutout. Your post was helpful.
I have not yet been to MEPS. I was going to do that after a (hopefully) pro-rec in January. It sounds like I can go to MEPS then and get cleared for everything except vision after January? That would be helpful to maintain a pro-rec.
Sorry for all the questions. Timing all of this to work out with a full time job, do it before the board and avoid the 3 month pro-rec expiration is a pain.
I have not yet been to MEPS. I was going to do that after a (hopefully) pro-rec in January. It sounds like I can go to MEPS then and get cleared for everything except vision after January? That would be helpful to maintain a pro-rec.
Sorry for all the questions. Timing all of this to work out with a full time job, do it before the board and avoid the 3 month pro-rec expiration is a pain.
RiseR 25
Well-Known Member
Crazy Carl,
New guy here. Was this a particular LASIK procedure (i.e. intralasik), were you subjected to the steel blade? The last word from my recruiter was that Lasik was still a no go, this was earlier this year. Completed a consultation with the eye doc today and was deemed a good candidate for the procedure.
Thanks
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
about 2 weeks ago NRC sent out an email saying LASIK is acceptable in certain cases and some would be accepted. I will say after reviewing the info I could not in good conscience recommend one of my applicants have LASIK, I would hate to see a person who wants to be a pilot get turned down because I recommended they get LASIK and not get approved.
If you want a near guaranteed approval go for PRK.
I am getting closer and closer to my surgery date and I have been leaning more towards LASIK rather than PRK as for a few reasons...
Here is the information I have gathered so far:
My regular eye doctor referred me to a local eye surgeon who just so happened be one of the doctors that started the “LASIK in Naval Aviation” study while serving in the Navy (just recently retired). After giving him my story and explaining that I want to apply for an SNA spot, he strongly recommended LASIK because the research the Navy has already done with this procedure has shown astonishing results. So much so that the waiver guidelines as of 2012 now recommend LASIK as the way to go for Naval Aviation. He also sounded 100% confident that once the study is finished, the Navy will waive LASIK under the same circumstances as PRK. Not to say they will both have the same requirements but the process of receiving a waiver will be the same. As good as this may sound I still wanted to dig deeper into the current waiver process. Long story short, I was fortunate enough to make contact with the folks at NAMI who actually write the waivers we all so desperately want. Basically the person I contacted agreed with what my eye surgeon was saying but, however their are still guidelines for the waiver and guidelines for enrollment into the study.
I attached the latest information on enrollment requirements and waiver guidelines I received from the contact I had at NAMI. I also asked about this "200" number that is listed in most of the reading and he stated that they do not plan on limiting the study to just 200.
In my opinion, if you want to be 100% sure PRK is the way to go just as NavyOffRec says but LASIK is definitely in the Navy's future. I wouldn't lose hope if you already had LASIK because my eye surgeon said the study is proving to be optimistic. After hearing from one of the researchers who participated in the study, I feel pretty confident that the Navy is planning to keep LASIK as a waiverable procedure once they meet the study's needs.
I hope this helps
Here is the information I have gathered so far:
My regular eye doctor referred me to a local eye surgeon who just so happened be one of the doctors that started the “LASIK in Naval Aviation” study while serving in the Navy (just recently retired). After giving him my story and explaining that I want to apply for an SNA spot, he strongly recommended LASIK because the research the Navy has already done with this procedure has shown astonishing results. So much so that the waiver guidelines as of 2012 now recommend LASIK as the way to go for Naval Aviation. He also sounded 100% confident that once the study is finished, the Navy will waive LASIK under the same circumstances as PRK. Not to say they will both have the same requirements but the process of receiving a waiver will be the same. As good as this may sound I still wanted to dig deeper into the current waiver process. Long story short, I was fortunate enough to make contact with the folks at NAMI who actually write the waivers we all so desperately want. Basically the person I contacted agreed with what my eye surgeon was saying but, however their are still guidelines for the waiver and guidelines for enrollment into the study.
I attached the latest information on enrollment requirements and waiver guidelines I received from the contact I had at NAMI. I also asked about this "200" number that is listed in most of the reading and he stated that they do not plan on limiting the study to just 200.
In my opinion, if you want to be 100% sure PRK is the way to go just as NavyOffRec says but LASIK is definitely in the Navy's future. I wouldn't lose hope if you already had LASIK because my eye surgeon said the study is proving to be optimistic. After hearing from one of the researchers who participated in the study, I feel pretty confident that the Navy is planning to keep LASIK as a waiverable procedure once they meet the study's needs.
I hope this helps
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
I had LASIK years ago and have had no issues, but if I really wanted to fly and needed surgery I would go with PRK to eliminate any potential issues in getting a waiver, when it becomes essentially an auto waiver I will have a different view.
RiseR 25
Well-Known Member
Bleedgreen,
Outstanding work, you are dedicated! Primary delay at this point is completion of degree and money to finance procedure, as well as making the decision of choosing the Navy way of life (we'll see how job market is for Mechanical Engineer grads turns out).
Thanks for the assist!
No problem hope this info helps,
Still being skeptical about this I talked to my doctor about the limit of 200 in the study that leaves a lot of doubt in our minds. He informed that this isn't the first time the Navy has conducted clinical trials on surgical procedures. In fact, SNA's faced this same hurdle in years past when PRK was in the clinical stage. The question came up then of "what happens when the bin is full or the study has filled up? History in the Navy's clinical trials show that as long as the applicant meets the standards to enroll in the study, and that the study is full, they will omit the enrollment into the study as a condition of approval. When the LASIK in Naval Aviator's study was initiated these questions came up as well and they decided to fall back on the decisions they made with PRK.
RiseR 25, where are you located? The office I chose has 0% interest loans with affordable monthly payments. If you are intrested let me know and I can give you there contact info.
Still being skeptical about this I talked to my doctor about the limit of 200 in the study that leaves a lot of doubt in our minds. He informed that this isn't the first time the Navy has conducted clinical trials on surgical procedures. In fact, SNA's faced this same hurdle in years past when PRK was in the clinical stage. The question came up then of "what happens when the bin is full or the study has filled up? History in the Navy's clinical trials show that as long as the applicant meets the standards to enroll in the study, and that the study is full, they will omit the enrollment into the study as a condition of approval. When the LASIK in Naval Aviator's study was initiated these questions came up as well and they decided to fall back on the decisions they made with PRK.
RiseR 25, where are you located? The office I chose has 0% interest loans with affordable monthly payments. If you are intrested let me know and I can give you there contact info.