Pre-Op PRK Requirements?

[mts4602]

Can anyone tell me what the Pre-Op Prk requirements are? I've read all about all these numbers like -3.24 or -2.32, just examples...but I'm not sure what they mean. There are similar numbers on the side of my contact lense boxes, are those the numbers everyone is talking about or do I need to contact my doctor to find out?

The numbers on my contacts say -4.50 for left eye, and -4.00 for right eye.

I just don't want to get my hopes up.

Oh and this has probably been brought up before but is the Navy going through with the contact lense wavier or is it just the Marine Corps? I also read something about only active duty military pilots whose vision is getting worse could get the contact lense wavier, not civilian pilot applicants.

Thanks a lot.

Matt

 

[Cordespc]

No worries man, I had very similar numbers before my PRK surgery, and now my vision is 20/15 a year later. How bad your eyes are determines the amount of time you spend getting burned by the laser. I had -4.00 and -4.25, and I spent about 25-30 a piece under the laser. Overall, one of the best things I have done, especially on the Navy's dime

R/ Paul

 

[NavyLonghorn]

If I was you.. I wouldnt count on AW for these numbers.. ask a recruiter.

 

[mts4602]

Thanks a lot. Thats nice to know. Luckly a recruiter is close by, it's a big decision though and I'm still trying to put the pieces together before I go and tell a recruiter that I'm ready to get started and am committed to this thing.

 

[NavyLonghorn]

Thanks a lot. Thats nice to know. Luckly a recruiter is close by, it's a big decision though and I'm still trying to put the pieces together before I go and tell a recruiter that I'm ready to get started and am committed to this thing.

Dont need a commitment to ask a recruiter a few questions dude. That is what they are there for.

 

[AppleCello]

the numbers on your contact lens box are the same as what you are reading about. Go find the navy medical policy, its online. it spells it all out for you. take that with you for a PRK consultation and have the doc review your case with those policies as guidance.

 

[pdx]

I wouldn't trust a recruiter with any technical information, especially medical questions. Their info is just second hand and quite possibly misunderstood. Go right to the source, which is NAMI.

http://www.nomi.med.navy.mil/NAMI/WaiverGuideTopics/index.htm

Check out the opthalmology section as well as the PRK checklists. It is 100% current and correct, unlike some of the gouge. Also, the intro to the "complete waiver guide" spells out requirements for the different groups (class, service group, and applicant vs designated personnel). If you still have specific questions, there is a NAMI email contact.

EDIT: for typo in url, sorry 'bout that.

 

[AppleCello]

Take that, print it out and hand it over to your doctor with the important pages marked by stickies and highlighted.

Thats what I did and the Doc was very happy to have some seriously accurate information on which to evaluate my particular case. That way, it wasn't just "am I a good candidate for PRK?" but rather the question that the doctor answered was "...a good candidate for PRK given the constraints in the Navy policy?"

Best to have all of the information before shelling out Ca$h and going under the laser.