PRK and a Contact waiver?

[DW43]

Could it be done? Say you're not 20/20 after your prk can you get a contact waiver too? One of my eyes is 20/25 so I might need a contact if my doc can't do a touch up. NOMI doesn't say very much about this topic.

 

[C-40CC]

I am certainly not a flt surgeon, but as someone on active duty who has had the PRK procedure performed on me and went from 20/200 in each eye to 20/15. I received a waiver to continue all duties involving flying. I am going to apply to be a pilot and the flt surgeon said that it was perfectly acceptable to fly with this waiver from NOMI. As far as a contact lens, 20/25 doesn't seem all that serious. Isn't the limit 20/30 before you are NPQ'd?

 

[DW43]

I was under the impression that you could have up to 20/40 uncorrected but must be corrected to 20/20 for pilot.

 

[tjamz1]

I don't believe you need a contact waiver unless your vision is worse than 20/40

 

[navywareagle]

ive only had two eye exams at NOMI. on my first exam (before prk) i couldnt see any better than 20/25 in my left eye with my glasses but the corpsman said he'd let it slide and say it was 20/20.

 

[wink]

I was under the impression that you could have up to 20/40 uncorrected but must be corrected to 20/20 for pilot.

This is correct. See an officer recruiter for details.

 

[NozeMan]

Could it be done? Say you're not 20/20 after your prk can you get a contact waiver too? One of my eyes is 20/25 so I might need a contact if my doc can't do a touch up. NOMI doesn't say very much about this topic.

my right eye corrected to 20/25 post surgery. i had the waiver and am fully cleared for SNA. however, when I did NAMI down here in Pensacola, I was told by the optometrist that I have to wear glasses for flying because of my slightly weak right eye. no biggie, but fit to fly.

 

[Lonestar]

What's the wait period post-op before you can apply for a waiver?

 

[MettGT]

What's the wait period post-op before you can apply for a waiver?

Anything under -6.00 diopters pre-surgery = 3 months wait. Anything greater than -6.00 is a 6 month wait. http://www.nomi.med.navy.mil/NAMI/WaiverGuideTopics/

 

[coreymiller1]

so can you be along in the application process and get your prk done and have the healing time be up right before OCS? or do they want you to heal up and check you out before they accept you?

 

[wink]

so can you be along in the application process and get your prk done and have the healing time be up right before OCS? or do they want you to heal up and check you out before they accept you?

You have to have it done, and recovered, before you go to your MEPs physical so they can check out the work and your consult/post op documents.