Vision Correction Surgery while in BDCP

[ktgtusn]

Hey everyone,

I'm just waiting on my final select papers to come in so I can make this BDCP thing official. I was wondering if anyone knew what the details were on getting vision correction surgery done between now and when I go to OCS in 2012. If I'm allowed to get it done, would I qualify to have the Navy do it for me on their dime?

Thanks for any help!

KT

 

[nugget81]

So I don't know your background or anything, and your profile doesn't say much, but getting corrective eye surgery is an automatic NPQ (not physically qualified). You can get a waiver for such surgeries, generally either your vision is good enough to get in or it isn't. Once you've signed the dotted line the Navy isn't going to allow you to have the surgery, unless you're actually in the fleet and have jumped through all the required hoops. Talk to your recruiter before proceeding any further. Believe me, your recruiter can make things happen, but only if you keep him informed.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

So I don't know your background or anything, and your profile doesn't say much, but getting corrective eye surgery is an automatic NPQ (not physically qualified). You can get a waiver for such surgeries, generally either your vision is good enough to get in or it isn't. Once you've signed the dotted line the Navy isn't going to allow you to have the surgery, unless you're actually in the fleet and have jumped through all the required hoops. Talk to your recruiter before proceeding any further. Believe me, your recruiter can make things happen, but only if you keep him informed.

I'm guessing that if he's already been pro-rec'd he probably was already NPQ'd and is just looking to get his eyes right. Just sayin'.

Just hook up an appointment with the doc on base and ask him about it. Run it by your recruiter. But yea the Navy should cover it if you're in BDCP. Just don't let it interfere with your OCS date. If you have the time then it should not be a problem unless they have some rules I don't know about.

 

[ktgtusn]

Sorry for not giving more details. I was accepted into BDCP, went to MEPS, got all that stuff done and approved. I'm just waiting for the final select papers to come in so I can sign um and make this all official. My vision was acceptable as is, but having worn glasses for the past 12 years and contacts for the past 9, I've been wanting to get vision correction surgery done. What I'm wondering about is, after technically already being in the Navy through BDCP, if I could get a waiver to have the Navy perform whatever vision correction surgery is permissible for what I'm signed up to do (Surface Warfare). I would look into getting a waiver to have it done at some point during my Navy career anyway, so I figured, with almost 2 years before I'd ship out to OCS, if I could get it over with in the interim. I've read somewhere that while in the Navy you could either have it done by them or by a civilian doctor, but that of course comes with the requisite hundred mile long paper trail (and I still haven't verified the validity of that information). Having already gone through the hassle of getting medical records all gathered up and filed properly on a smaller scale for my BDCP kit, I'd rather not venture down that path again. Plus, I wouldn't mind getting it done on the Navy's dime, if at all possible.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll ask my recruiter about it next time I check in with him.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Just go see the Doc and ask him after you've talked to your recruiter. Maybe feddoc will chime in with some info. But with you being a SWO I would think that it should not be an issue.