PRK surgery after alternate select, prior to OCS

[batteryguy4]

Hey everyone,

I am a primary alternate from the August board. This Friday I am going to the ophthalmologist to have my cycloplegic refraction checked to confirm that it is correctable to 20/20 in both eyes. I am confident that my right eye will not have any problems (20/20+), but my left eye is worse (20/30+) and I'm less sure of its condition. I would considering PRK if my cycloplegic doesn't check out to 20/20 correctable in both eyes. I've also been wondering if its something I should do in order to avoid ever having to wear glasses in the cockpit.

I'm looking for advice and insight regarding a possible decision to get PRK after I've been pro-rec'd, but before I have an OCS date (which, as I understand, would likely be in late spring or summer). I believe that you cannot fly within 6 months of getting the surgery. Do you guys know how the waiver process would work in my case? Would I have to wait six months before shipping to OCS?

Appreciate any help, thanks.

 

[shutout39]

Check in PRK forum - there is info on this there. Bottom line is if your eyes are not 20/40 or better, you will need to get the surgery (PRK or LASIK) and wait 6 months to get a waiver. Once you get the waiver you will get a FS date. If your doc says your eyes are 20/30, I would say do not get the surgery. Even if you're afraid they will deteriorate in the future. Once you are in the Navy they are much more lenient with recovery time. Also, many pilots wear glasses/contacts while flying without issues -even in jets. It's not the worse thing in the world and you'll save money and avoid going under the laser.

 

[egd33]

If you can see 20/40 or better uncorrected I think you would be crazy to get the surgery done (and good lucky finding a surgeon even willing to do it), particularly before you are in the Navy (if you ever do it in the future let them pay for it). Pretty sure getting it done not would result in having to wait 6 months before you could even be eligible to get a final select, which could in turn cause you to lose the pro-rec entirely. I just got my 6 month followup yesterday myself and am now finally eligible for the waiver. I cannot imagine what would have happened if I waited until now to get it done (I am guessing my pro-rec would go kaput).

Have you already passed the MEPS physical? Also, if your BCVA is less than 20/20 I don't think PRK can do anything to help that. It can only improve your uncorrected VA (at least that is what my surgeon made clear to me when saying the best I could expect is 20/20 since that was my BCVA). PRK could also have a bad outcome which could keep you grounded permanently (unlikely, but certainly possible).

If you are good enough as is be happy you do not need surgery like many of us did or still do (I was ~20/500 in each eye, so I had no choice).

 

[shutout39]

(I was ~20/500 in each eye, so I had no choice).

Holy momma! Did you live under power lines as a kid? Or eat paint chips or something? Stare into the microwave while cooking bagel bites? Only kidding I'm glad your 6 months is up...I just made 3 months and it feels like forever since I had it done. Keep us posted as to when you get the waiver and FS over in the August 2011 thread.

 

[egd33]

Holy momma! Did you live under power lines as a kid? Or eat paint chips or something? Stare into the microwave while cooking bagel bites? Only kidding I'm glad your 6 months is up...I just made 3 months and it feels like forever since I had it done. Keep us posted as to when you get the waiver and FS over in the August 2011 thread.

Haha, no just started wearing glasses around ten and it continuously get worse every year until it stabilized when I was about 20. The thing is I was only -5.0 in each eye (waiver allows up to -6.0 I think prior to PRK for SNA), but people can get significantly worse than that. After a certain prescription it probably makes no difference because you are useless without contacts/glasses (I would literally roll out of bed and put my contacts in). Will do on the updates; hopefully it is quick, but who knows (and I know what you mean about the wait, it feels like it has been more like a year than 6 months ago that I had it done). Only took them two days after my physical paperwork was submitted by my processor to say I needed a 6 month followup though, but I suspect the waiver will take a bit longer.

 

[MGoBrew11]

Pre-op limit is -8.0 or + 3.0 diopters.

I was -4 and -3.75. I can't imagine having much worse than that!