I had PRK after my first OEF tour. I now have 20/50 in my shooting eye and 20/40 in the other. I had to go get new glasses after the six month checkup. Still way better than it used to be. I just need the glasses to sharpen things up so I can see the guys on the hills that may or may not have an RPG. I got some prescription lenses for my Wiley-X SG-1s a few weeks ago. Haven't really used them yet. I would recommend waiting until after the pipeline or at the very beginning of language.

Guys, asking for advice about the LASIK surgery, listen to what Pelligrino , TR and others are telling you, I am an FOG, I would not get this type of surgery done until I completed all phases of the qualification course. Once assigned to a team then I would check the type of surgery available and then make my decision. I am very satisfied so far with the LASIK I had performed earlier this week. My goal was to fix far sightedness, and not interfer with any of the task (ie. firearms, tactics) I am responsible for in my current job. I do need reading glasses but thats OK with me. Do not do anything that could put yourself at the risk of not completing your goals you have set for yourself. Meet the goals and then consider your options.

Lasik
 

Bam Bam:

I had mine done a little over 4 years ago. I knew I would have to wear reading glasses. I was great and still is. I still wear reading glasses but that beat the heack our of wearing glasses all day. Glad everything went well and you like. In this crowd I am an OFG also.

I had Wavefront INTRALasik done in December 2005. My corrected vision is now 20/15 in both eyes with no astigmatism and better night vision. Best $2300 I've ever spent that didn't add something to the gun safe.

Had PRK done a few years back, straight forward deal with no complications. Vision has been excellent since.

Question
 

Gentlemen,
I have searched through the forums (along some other internet searches) and can't seem to find anyone who has mentioned about an eye waiver to qualify for the 18X program. My situation is this... eyes are at an Rx of 6-7 (last time I checked) and the AF will not preform corrective surgery on me; they will only go to a perscription of 5. My recruiter said it should not be a problem since I am correctable 20/20 in one eye and almost 20/20 in the other.
I've been trying to get an Army form/publication reference from the recruiter, but have not been able to get any word out of him after a month or two of follow-up calls and emails. I really don't want to get caught with my ass in the wind from a recruiter at the last moment plain and simple.
If I've overlooked something in this site please let me know so I don't have to be "cup checked". If anyone here can provide a reference point so I can do some further research and make sure I will be on the right track it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again!

I know that this is asking a lot, but did you dop a search for, I don't know, how about "eyesight waiver?"

Let me know what you find.

I would do a lot more searching and reading before asking questions.

News flash - you have terrible eyesight. And I don't think they are taking a bunch of medical waivers these days. They don't have to.

TR

Roger that boss... point taken, won't happen again.

Found a updated 40-501 (2010 version) for it... found what I needed.


I've had people tell me that throughout my career so far with the AF. It is what it is; looks like I'll just be doing a bit more work and pressing on to get where I want to be.

Thanks for the explanations. Wife had this done past spring due to cataracts having progressed to the point the insurance would cover it; am waiting to achieve same "degree" of need for same thing after seeing the terrific results she had, as am not a candidate for Lasik. She had a 2-wk recovery on one eye because of a 'nick' (and resultant single stitch) on the first one, was rockin' & rolling after after a few days with the second. She enjoys being able to snag whatever the neatest set of wrap-arounds are.

Other notes post lens replacement:
1. Colors really pop for her; like strings on a guitar that have gradually gone dead one often doesn't notice until you put fresh ones on.
2. She is back to that "I can drive in twilight better than you can" thing and her peripheral vision is much improved.

Very much an option worth exploring.
Thanks again for your contribution.

FYI...
Lens replacement surgery secondary to cataracts is not lasik surgery...

Change of eye dominance
 

BamBam,

I swapped eye dominance for about 6 weeks while I was healing from my PRK. I was fully cleared by my Doc to go shooting at an indoor range. I had some difficulties focusing on the target. I was very fortunate that the Doc was a gun-nut, former 11B, and actually took a lunch brreak and went back to the range with me to figure out the issue.

Did not take the Doc watching me shoot 3 rounds to have him notice I had switched eye dominance.

I had to learn to shoot right-handed for about 6 weeks before the eyes healed up 100% and I went back to left eye dominant.

Now I benefit from being able to accurately shoot with either hand using either eye. I put 50 or more rounds downrange each visit with the right eye just to keep in practice.

LASIK
 

I had LASIK done at Walter Reed in 03. Great experience. At the time, all the bases on the East coast, minus FBNC were coming to WRAMC for eye surgery with buses of troops. I started asking around and found out that the Surgeon General at the time endorsed WRAMC doing as many as the schedule could handle. Was preventing injuries from contact lenses or shattered lenses. Remember in 03 we were having some casualties....
When I went back to my Unit surgeon with the appointment from my Doctor at WRAMC, they hit the roof! "You can't have LASIK! Freefallers can't have eye-surgery! My policy is (inject your reason here)". So I asked for the USASOC policy letter.
Come to find out, once you have had any specialty training, you can get what ever your doctor recommends for you particular calamity. WRAMC put LASIK in writing from a doctor who had thousands under his belt. My surgeon nor FBNC were willing to contest that finding in writing. SO WRAMC did LASIK.
2 days later I was fine and went and did an instructor course 10 days later. My eyes didn't pop out, get ball cancer or lose my sinuses. Go figure. Much ado about nothing.
Only thing I did find out, you should get through the pipeline and achieve any specialty training you desire prior to getting any surgeries. Don't put yourself at a disadvantage to some one else's discretion.
V/r
AM